


DBH One-shot Collection

by blobbyclouds



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Minor Swearing, Minor Violence, Other, there are some platonic ones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 28,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23322778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blobbyclouds/pseuds/blobbyclouds
Summary: A collection of mini-fics and small one-shots requested from me. There are a few that have multiple parts, but they've been clearly marked :) The navigation is pretty simple. Every fic is listed out right here with a number that matches its chapter. Just go to that chapter and wa-lah! There's what you wanted to read! Hope you guys enjoy it, and it will be updated when I have time <3 (last updated March 25th, 2020)(I should also point out that some of these were written when I was a few years younger, so you may notice a few aren't quite as good??? Or maybe I'm being overly critical. idk)
Relationships: Connor/Reader, Elijah Kamski/Reader, Kara/reader, Ralph/Reader
Comments: 15
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

*last updated March 21st, 2020*

**-Connor rk800-**

3\. Connor x reader who gets noticeably quiet and sad when upset, and he comforts them

4\. Connor celebrating reader's birthday (happy birthday btw if its your special day!)

5\. Connor trying to make a fem!reader cop laugh

7\. Connor seeing the reader's self-harm scars for the first time

8\. Connor with a reader who is worried about their black cat around Halloween

10\. Connor crushing on a reader who is Hank's niece/nephew

11\. Connor helps calm reader down from a panic attack

14\. A reader who has a fatherly relationship with Hank gets stuck in handcuffs, Connor has to help them out

17\. Connor and reader are on a case together, but the reader gets injured

**-Ralph wr600-**

15\. Ralph with a deadpan, always calm reader when they find a kitten

16\. Reader helping Ralph sneak over the border

**-Elijah Kamski-**

9\. The reader is out of town for a few days and Elijah misses them

**-Kara ax400-**

6\. Kara x reader who is her owner, but they treat her like family and Kara eventually goes deviant

13\. A part two to the request listed above, where they go to the hospital to treat the reader's wounds

12\. Reader comes home extremely angry with her father, and Kara stops her from hurting herself

**-Hank Anderson-**

2\. Hank and bff!reader roast Gavin :)


	2. Hank and bff!reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Hank, best friends for ages, are called to a case at the crack of dawn. Gavin is also there, and the both of you end up absolutely roasting him :) great start to your day, right?

You had been an officer for years, nearly as long as Hank had. Yet, after all your experience, getting up before the sun was still an unpleasant struggle. Even if you had your coffee with the knowledge that you were getting paid to wake up to investigate a robbery before dawn had struck, the motivation to climb out of your car was lacking, border non-existent. It was cold and dark outside, while in the car, it was warm with soothing lights. You promised yourself to just stay inside the car for a few moments, just savoring the warmth and comfort as you nursed your warm coffee.

If you were honest with yourself, you probably would’ve stayed in you car for another twenty minutes if you hadn’t seen Hank standing just outside the crime scene. Fortunately, you did, and were suddenly motivated and energized enough to pop right out of your car and dart over to him. Sure, the cold bit at your exposed face as you shuffled over to him, but the smile that lit up his grizzled face was enough to warm your heart.

“You got called in too, huh?” Hank said. Although he didn’t say it, years of his companionship allowed you to see the evident relief in his voice. Like you, he was relieved to not be braving the morning winter alone.

“Well it’s not like I would come in of my own free will, is it?” you muttered, taking a long sip from your coffee. You noted sadly that the warmth of the coffee did little to stop the cold from settling into your bones.

Hank nodded in agreement. “Fair point. Thank God you’re here though. I thought I was going to be dealing with all this on my own.” He motioned towards the two younger officers scuttling about with clipboards. From the looks of it, they seemed to have already finished the paperwork and necessary evidence filing for the break in.

A wry smile crept up your features, a teasing look that Hank had come to know well in the past years. “And what, let you have all the fun?” you said, punching his shoulder lightly. “I had to get in on some of this, right?”

Hank let out a short bark of laughter. “You’ll be singing a different tune when your coffee goes cold and you can’t feel your toes anymore,” he added.

You shrugged, stirring your toes as if to prove that they were still warm from the car. “We’ll see about that,” you said. “Just us until the rest of the crew shows up?” While extra help would be needed for the more technical parts of the investigation, you quietly hoped that only you and Hank had been called in for the case. The two of you worked together flawlessly, and would doubtlessly have this case wrapped up by the afternoon if left to your own devices. Not to mention, Hank was your best friend. If you had to be up at the ass crack of dawn, you wanted to be up at the ass crack of dawn with him and only him by your side.

Hank shrugged, turning to face the younger officers. “Are we expecting anyone else?”

The two officers exchanged a startled glance as the older detective addressed them before hurriedly referring to their notes. “Captain said that Detective Reed will also be on the case,” the young woman said, just barely hiding the tone of disappointment in her voice. Though she hadn’t been on the police force nearly as long as you and Hank, Gavin’s reputation preceded him as always.

The two of you didn’t even have to look at each other to exchange your thoughts on the situation. After knowing each other for ages and sharing countless experiences with your snappy coworker, there was hardly a question in the matter.

“Now that’s just fucking wonderful,” Hank muttered darkly, taking a large sip of his coffee. “I’m not awake enough to deal with that fucking brat right now.”

“I’m never awake enough for him,” you added, earning a snort of laughter from Hank. “Maybe he’ll be late. The roads are icy, aren’t they?” Although your statement was in true, you barely believed it yourself. Gavin may have been one of the most cocky officers in the department, but even he knew and feared the repercussions of being late.

As if on cue, a red car began to crawl down the icy road, it’s dull paint shining in the streetlights. The gathered officers held their breaths, hoping against all hope that it was just a generic red car driving down this very road at five in the morning. As it neared closer, you crossed your fingers, silently pleading with the car to pass by you.

“Tell me he doesn’t drive a red car,” you whispered from the corner of your mouth.

“He drives a red car,” Hank slowly replied.

You sighed as the car came closer, and could feel the newbie’s eyes watching the events nervously. Deep down, you had known the red car was Gavin’s, however much your mind had tried to convince you otherwise. While you had mostly worked cases with Hank, there had been a few unfortunate occasions in which you were forced to work with Gavin. Those cases with Gavin had been thankfully few and far between, but just enough so that you could recognize his car.

Although the car was hardly moving down the icy lane, it seemed to be moving far too fast. If it could just go a bit slower, you could at least try to savor the last few peaceful moments you had left with Hank.With dread filling your stomach, you and Hank exchanged a knowing and long suffering gaze as the red car pulled up alongside the sidewalk. There were a few seconds of silence, with only the officers around you.

Then, with a string of muttered curses and the slam of car door, Gavin was out of his car and approaching. His shoulders were hunched up as he attempted to keep the warmth his car had provided, which was completely futile with this weather. Already, his face was formed into an irritable frown, as though being there was a personal insult to him.

“We aren’t paid enough to deal with him,” you mumbled, closing your eyes and trying to push away any violent thoughts.

“We aren’t paid enough to deal with anything,” Hank snorted derisively.

The two of you would’ve continued your usual witty banter, but the arrival of Gavin completely stopped any such conversation from continuing  **—** for the moment at least. Gavin looked around expectantly, only to be met by tired stares.

“So why the fuck were we called out here?” he said, violently gesturing towards the house you all stood in front of. The two newbie officers took a wary step back, desperately looking to you and Hank for a response.

“Didn’t you get the message containing the case details?” you asked.

“Well if I’m asking, I clearly didn’t, did I?” he snapped. “Fucking idiot.”

“It was an innocent question, Gavin,” Hank growled. “They’re just trying to help.”

Gavin, who was too sleep deprived to pick up on the obvious threat in Hank’s voice, only glared in response.”Sure they were,” he grumbled. As he mumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms, you couldn’t help but compare him to a moody teenager. You and Hank exchanged a quick look, and you were quite certain that the same thought had gone through his head. Great minds think alike, you mused before turning your attention back to Gavin. The moody detective sharply gestured for you to explain the details he had missed.

“It was a break in around midnight. Only a few things stolen,” you said. “The newbies have already done most of the work, and now we’re just waiting for the rest of the crew to show up.”

“So we’re just going to stand around and do nothing?”

“Basically.”

“Well that’s just fucking fantastic now, isn’t it?” Gavin said, throwing his hand up in the air. He shot a glare at the newbies, as if they were the sole cause of his misfortune. “What are you looking at?”

“I’m sorry, Detective Reed,” the young man stuttered. “We didn’t mean to stare and-”

“Don’t give that little ray of sunshine the time of day,” Hank interrupted. “He’s just being moody.”

Gavin, who either couldn’t or wouldn’t come up with a snappy reply, only grunted and crossed his arms tighter. The newbies, who had looked mortified as Hank casually referred to Gavin as a little ray of sunshine, relaxed as the moody detective didn’t lash out instantly.

You sniggered lightly, elbowing Hank as an idea popped into your head. “He is a lot like the sun though, isn’t he?”

Hank eyed you with mild concern. “What the hell is in your coffee?” he muttered.

“No, I’m serious, Hank,” you said solemnly. “Gavin is a lot like the sun.” Now with the newbies, Hank, and even Gavin eyeing you apprehensively, you fought to keep your smirk hidden.

“They both want to make me stay inside all day,” you explained as though it was a common fact. A smirk flickered up your features, and Hank soon had a matching one. Even the newbies looked vaguely amused, though they hid their mouths behind their clipboards. Your eyes darted to Gavin, who looked to confused to make a comeback.

“I think you’re onto something here,” Hank said just as seriously. “We have to see both everyday, even if we don’t want to.” Hank, of course, was more than willing to join you in giving Gavin hell. After all, if Gavin was going to give the two of you hell, you would simply have to return the favor.

“And they both tend to flare up, don’t they?” you added.

This time, Gavin couldn’t remain silent. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he snapped. It took all of your and Hank’s willpower to not burst out laughing.

“At least one of them tends to go away for a few months,” Hank continued unaffected by Gavin, who was becoming more indignant by the second. The two newbie officers, watching the proceedings with wide eyes, bit back a laugh. “Really, the main difference is that one gives me sunburns and the other gives me headaches,” Hank added, and you nodded in solemn agreement.

Gavin further bristled with embarrassment. “Shut the fuck up,” he growled, though his remark went completely unnoticed as you spoke over him.

“And at least one is hot,” you said loudly as a wide grin split your face. At that last comment, the two newbies openly burst out laughing, trying to stifle their laughter in vain. Both you and Hank soon followed their lead, unable to help but to laugh a little as Gavin became even more flustered by your conversation.

Gavin, now flushing scarlet, rushed towards you and Hank. “Now listen you two, I don’t know who the hell you think are you are but-”

The sudden slam of car doors and low murmur of voices sharply cut Gavin off. The three of you looked to the side of the road, where two new cars had just pulled up and were only now making their presence known. The occupants of the cars eyed Gavin carefully as they stepped out and began to shuffle through their papers. Now with a wider audience, Gavin’s confidence shrunk dramatically.

“This conversation isn’t over yet,” Gavin growled in a lower tone. Before either you or Hank could get in one more witty remark, Gavin stormed off to go inside the building. The rookies and the newcomers slowly streamed after him, talking in low yet amused tones.

“Little ray of sunshine,” you mused quietly. “Do you think anyone’s going to hear about all that?”

“I doubt it. There was the only the four of us there who might say anything about it,” Hank shrugged, tossing aside the topic. “Everyone will probably forget about it within a few days.”

You nodded vaguely. “You’re probably right,” you said.

Both you and Hank were wrong. Within a few days, the matter had not been forgotten in the slightest. Instead, every single officer in the department had heard of you and Hank, the infamous duo, butting heads with Gavin, who had been awarded the new nickname of Sunshine. 


	3. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor x reader, where reader gets noticeably quiet and subdued when they're upset :(

As Connor had recently become deviant, his skills in recognizing emotions had skyrocketed. He no longer relied on his programs to tell him what a person’s tone of voice or facial expression meant, or how their posture and body movement could hint at hidden emotions. At times, he still had his moments of confusion or uncertainty in which he would refer to his lover or Hank, but even those instances were becoming less common.

To those that he was close with, those instances of confusion had almost vanished completely. After spending so much time around the same people, understanding their feelings had become natural, to the point he didn’t have to think too deeply into it. It was a small accomplishment, but one that Connor took pride in.

So the moment they walked into the office, Connor knew something was wrong. Their feet dragged as they walked through the door, a stark and heart wrenching constract to their usually bouncy step. All signs of their normal sunshine and smiles demeanor were gone, replaced by a gaze glued to the floor and a face that was drained and grim.

Connor allowed himself a brief moment of pride for so quickly recognizing their emotion, although the moment was quickly overshadowed by worry. Something was quite clearly wrong. Even as some of the officers greeted them warmly as they passed by, the smile they flashed in response was lackluster compared to the dazzling smile he had come to adore. Suddenly, he was aware of what Hank meant when he described a smile that never reached the eyes.

When they reached his desk, there was no hug or kiss, not even a pleasant greeting. Connor’s heart just about broke then. Though their back was turned to him as they sat on the edge of his desk, their slumped frame and silence said more than enough.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Connor’s eyes darted over to Hank’s empty desk, suddenly wishing the lieutenant was present to offer some sort of advice. Though his skills in recognizing emotion had improved vastly from the beginning, responding to said emotions was still a work in progress. It pained him to admit that, since he only wanted to be able to support his lover.

As the last of the detectives trickled out of the closing office, Connor finally spoke. “Is something wrong?” he asked in the gentle tone he only ever used with them.

Clearly something was most definitely wrong, but Connor felt that this question would be a good way to breach the subject. It was straightforward and to the point. He couldn’t go wrong there, could he?

Apparently he could go wrong there. Their only response was a lazy shrug of the shoulders. They huddled their coat tighter around them, practically curling in on themselves.

Connor leaned forward in his chair, idly rubbing the coin in his pocket as he accessed the situation. “My dear?” he said, displaying his trademark tilt of the head. “If something is wrong, you can tell me.”

This time, there was a verbal response, though it only consisted of a small grunt. Deciding his current approach was getting him nowhere, Connor rose to from his seat to stand in front of them. Their gaze dropped to his shoes instantly, and they idly flicked the zipper of their coat. He remained quiet, even as their eyes flicked up to meet the silent question asked in his expression.

“I’m just tired,” they mumbled, sensing that Connor was waiting for an explanation of some sort.

“You received the necessary amount of sleep last night and, based on your vital readings, have not participated in any especially strenuous activity today,” Connor replied evenly after a brief scan.

Their head whipped up for an instant, momentairly caught off guard. Of course, Connor would be able to see what others couldn’t. Granted, they hadn’t been thinking about that or much of anything when they had made that excuse. “It’s nothing, Connor,” they murmured, dropping their head back down. Their voice was painfully fragile, and made Connor’s heart ache all the more.

“It’s clearly something.” He frowned. He had briefly considered pointing out how obviously out of character they were behaving, but figured they would only continue to deny that anything was wrong.

There was another moment of silence between them. The buzz of the heater and their shaky breathing were the only sounds in the office now. Neither of them spoke, each waiting for the other to say something. Deep down, Connor knew that he would have to be the one to speak. When they were upset, initiating a conversation of any sort was well out of their mind.

“Is it your cousin?” he asked, crossing his arms. It wasn’t a complete stab in the dark. You had mentioned your cousin on multiple occasions in the past few days, and you didn’t exactly have the best things to say about her. It would be reasonable to assume that she had been the cause of your distress.

You wobbled your hand to say “kind of”, then promptly returned to fiddling with your zipper. Connor shifted his weight to his other foot, quickly going through what else may have caused such a change of temperament in you. Connor knew you well enough to realize you weren’t trying to be difficult on purpose. Becoming so grim and silent was simply a self defense mechanism, your mind believing that internalizing anything and everything would somehow fix your problems. How or why you had started this habit, he didn’t know, but that was a question to focus on later.

“Boss?” he tried again. Similar to their cousin, they had mentioned their boss countless times in the past week with complaints of unfair treatment. This time, there was more of a reaction. Their body stiffened instinctively, and their idle fidgeting stopped. Hesitantly, they nodded, a small movement that was barely noticeable even to Connor.

Realizing that he had come to real heart of the problem, Connor stooped down to meet their gaze. “That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”

They nodded more firmly this time. “Yeah,” they croaked.

“What happened?” he asked, gently tucking back their hair.

“Stupid stuff.” They leaned their head against his shoulder. Connor was suddenly reminded of a piece of advice Hank had given him. The lieutenant had once mentioned that when people were upset, they just wanted to be held. With this small and hopefully correct piece of advice in mind, Connor leaned down further to uncertainly wrap his arms around them. They reacted instantly, burying their head into his neck and tightly winding their arms around him. Connor silently thanked Hank for his advice.

“Can you explain this stupid stuff?” Connor murmured after a few seconds.

“Can we talk once we’re home?” they asked quietly.

“Would that make you more comfortable?” His hand began to slowly rub up and down their back. Hank had never specifically advised how to comfort someone with physical contact, but Connor had seen this movement done by many other couples. He was pleased to sense them relax further, and hold him closer.

They nodded against his neck. He leaned back, pressing a quick kiss to their forehead. “Let’s get going then,” he said.


	4. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the reader's birthday and he's doing his best to help them celebrate!

“Connor, you’re overthinking this.” Hank sighed over the phone.

“I prefer to say that I’m just putting a lot of thought into their gifts.” Connor replied.

“Yes, and I’m not saying that’s bad or anything, but is the difference between dark brown and light brown really that important? A dog’s a dog, simple as that.”

Connor pouted ever so slightly. “Well, excuse my desire to simply make them happy.”

Hank threw his hands up in the air out of pure exasperation. For the days leading up to your birthday, Connor had been focusing on nothing else. A birthday was a new experience for him, so, despite his research, he was still uncertain. He wanted to make sure he got everything just right, especially because this was  _ your  _ birthday.

Even at work he had been constantly badgering Hank with questions about how many presents he was supposed to get you or what plans he should make, along with countless others that Hank had lost track of. It was safe to say that he was more than bit irritated with Connor. But, he knew the android meant well and was doing his best, which was the one and only reason he hadn’t snapped. Yet.

“I think they’ll like both colors, now you should hurry up before you wind up late.” Hank leaned back in his chair, believing his words would knock some sense into Connor.

“So what you’re saying is I should buy both-”

“No! Connor, for fucks sake, they won’t be able to take care of two.” Hank rubbed the bridge of his nose in a tired manner, sitting back up in his chair. “Look, take the dark brown one. If they don’t like it you can blame me, okay?”

Connor glanced down at the dark brown puppy in front of him and nodded his head as he considered. “Okay.” He agreed. “Thank you for the assistance, Hank. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” Hank grumbled a reply before the phone clicked off and Connor was left with the small pup.

She seemed to sense that she had been chosen over her sibling and let out a playful yip, wagging her tail furiously as she jumped against the wire barrier between her and Connor. He leaned down to gently nudge her nose, a smile quirking at his lips as she nudged his finger back and nibbled on it in mock ferocity.

A dog had been an easy decision for a gift. You were always fawning over any and all dogs you saw while in public, and seemed to sometimes prefer the furry creatures over their owners. He found it adorable beyond words the way your face would light up at the sight of them, especially the puppies. And not only would a dog make you ecstatic, but the furry creatures had also been proven to improve the mental and physical health of their owners as well, even going as far as to protect them when danger arose. It seemed like the perfect gift; something that would make you happy and keep you safe if Connor couldn’t.

Yet despite how sure he was that you would like the gift, his perfectionist nature had still kicked in to make sure you would love every little thing about the dog. Even if it had taken him forever to chose just the right breed, age, gender and everything else, he knew it would all be worth it to see you so happy. Yes, he was quite certain you would like her.

He was not quite certain if you would like her now. Maybe a light brown dog would’ve been a better present. Or maybe, a cat would make you happier. Or maybe a hamster. Those were considered cute, right?

But it was too late now and he knew it. The small pup was already placed within a small box in your room where you would eventually stumble upon her. It was only a matter of time as to when you would find her.

The two of you were in your kitchen, leaning against the bar as you happily rambled on about all the things that had happened on your birthday so far, most of them by Connor’s doing. He listened with a soft smile as you fidgeted with the necklace he had given you earlier. He may have gone a bit over the top with all his gifts, but you didn’t seem to be complaining. 

“But really, Connor, I can’t thank you enough.” You gushed, smiling uncontrollably. “You’re too sweet.”

Connor smiled. Seeing you so happy made it well worth all the time he had spent planning and bothering Hank. He had made it his mission to make sure you had a wonderful birthday, and was pleased to see he had been doing well. “I’m glad to hear you’ve been enjoying your day.” He replied, stealing a glance back towards the closed door to your room.

The small action went unnoticed by you as you turned from the bar to grab a glass from a cabinet. As if on cue, a small bump came from your room, causing you to stop with your arm still outstretched. You narrowed your eyes in confusion.

“What was that?” You asked, turning to face Connor.

“I haven’t a clue.” He shrugged, raising his eyebrows into a perfectly innocent expression. “Maybe you should go check it out.” He nodded towards your room in a casual manner.

Now you were just more confused. The bump itself wasn’t the cause of it; it was natural for unorganized things to occasionally topple over or for a sly breeze to sneak in through an open window and knock something over. Rather, it was Connor’s shockingly nonchalant reaction to the sound. Connor was instinctively protective of you. In most cases anything out of the ordinary would be investigated by an insistent and over protective Connor, determined to keep you well out of harm’s way. Even a seemingly harmless bump like the one you just heard would earn his attention. 

So to have him so casually suggest that you go look yourself was beyond baffling. Shrugging, you set the glass down and approached your bedroom. Before you could continue to over analyze Connor’s behavior, you pushed open the door. It creaked open just enough for you to slip inside before it bumped into a cardboard box lying on the ground.

You stopped short. There were no cardboard boxes in your room, especially not one this big. Curiosity now taking a firm hold on you, you crouched down to inspect the box. It looked new and hardly used, meaning it must have been bought recently. Even more odd. As your hand went to peel back the folds on the top, the box  _ moved _ . Your hand automatically shot back, and you would’ve darted back to Connor had the box not let out a small yip.

Almost like turning a light, the box’s odd nature and Connor’s abnormal carelessness made sense. Before even ripping open the lid a delighted smile was already lighting up your face, and it only intensified as the dark brown puppy burst up from the box. She was just as eager to meet you, which was more than obvious with the way her tail was wagging at the speed of light.

“Oh, hello there, cutie!” You smiled as she nosed your face affectionately. “Aren’t you the most precious thing in the whole wide world?” She barked as if to say that she agreed completely.

Now standing against your door frame, Connor watched your excitement with a soft smile. “I take it you like her?” He said once you had finished showering the puppy in affection.

“Of course I do!” You twisted to face Connor, flashing him a smile so full of pure joy that Connor’s heart practically melted.

“Does she have a name?” You asked, switching your eyes back on her as she clambered onto your lap. You giggled as she began to lick your face. Your laughter had a similar affect to your smile, and Connor felt a warm feeling sprouting uncontrollably in his chest.

“No, not yet.” He answered after a moment of collecting himself, which was much harder than it sounded with how adorable you were being.

You prused your lips in thought. “Then I shall name you Maple.” You said confidently, scooping the puppy into your arms as you stood up. “Do you think that suits her?”

Connor nodded in agreement. “As long as you like it, I believe it suits her perfectly.” There was a moment of content silence filled with playful yips from Maple. Connor hesitated before he continued, “So you enjoyed your birthday?”

You quickly picked up on the uncertainty in his voice. “Definitely.” You answered, your expression softening. “You really outdid yourself, Connor. I couldn’t ask for anything more. You know you didn’t have to do all this.”

A gentle grin flickered upon Connor’s face. Even though it wasn’t obvious, your praise meant the world to him. If you were happy, it meant that he had done at least one thing right. “True.” He said. “But as your partner I simply wanted to do my very best for you.” He stepped closer to you, cupping you face and placing a soft kiss on the crown of your head. “Happy birthday, my darling.” He was just the right combination of dorky and genuine, and a light dusting of blush appeared on your face.

Maple barked in agreement.


	5. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor tries to get the reader to laugh :)

Laughing, in most cases, seemed to be a sign of happiness. When someone laughed, endorphins were released, creating a warm bubbly feeling inside. With the way their eyes would sparkle and a smile would light up their face, Connor didn’t even need to know the scientific part of it to know laughing was a key indicator to happiness and good times. It seemed to be something that just about everyone did, even less cheerful people such as Gavin.

That was the reason he couldn’t figure out why she wouldn’t laugh. She was a kind and cheerful person, someone that seemed to always be smiling. At the office she was something like a ray of sunshine, always upbeat and ready for anything. Even on the toughest cases her smile refused to be put out. Because of that, everyone assumed she would be the type that would also be laughing just as much as she smiled. Yet despite her happy nature he, nor anyone else, had never heard her laugh.

Sure, there was the occasional giggle or smothered chuckle, but never a full and true laugh. There was always something missing from them, something that told him she was holding herself back. So Connor, caring for her in his own odd way and wanting to make her well and truly happy, decided he should try to get a laugh out of her.

His attempts at the office so far had been fruitless, at most earning a light giggle. His first try had involved showing her a cat video (something that seemed to be very popular among her generation) which had caused her to smile and let out a small giggle. Nothing more. His later ideas, even using the cheesy pick up lines during an investigation, had had no different reactions.

Even if his attempts hadn’t had the reaction he had wished for, it had allowed him to observe her more closely. Oddly enough, he couldn’t help but note that she seemed to be stopping herself from laughing each time. Her eyes would sparkle and her mouth would twitch - all of which were clear signs of laughter - only to be shut down with biting her tongue or clearing her throat. It was strange and worrying, but only served to spur his attempts on.

He had decided to bring the matter to Hank next. Even though the lieutenant had rolled his eyes and insisted that Connor was overreacting, he had suggested watching a comedy movie with her. The idea seemed like one at least worth trying, especially considering that the whole purpose of a comedy was to make one laugh. He was determined that this time, his plan would work.

So that was how the two of them ended up at her house after work watching a recent comedy. The lights were off, blankets were around them, and the movie was going. She had been hesitant to agree, but her resolve had all but shattered with Connor’s puppy dog eyes.

They were now about half way through the movie and she still hadn’t let herself laugh. In all honesty, Connor wasn’t really sure what was happening in the movie at that point since his attention was completely on her. Each time something that seemed even somewhat humorous happened his eyes would flick expectantly towards her. And each time, she would bite her tongue and clear her throat, trapping the laugh before it even had a chance to form. It was confusing and frustrating, and only made his mind swirl with more concern for her. Was there something going on that he wasn’t aware of? Some threat to her safety she hadn’t told him about?

Sighing as his worries took control and he gave up on the movie, he plucked the remote up from the side table and paused the movie. Her back was against his chest, so she had to turn her head up to give him a confused look. “Why’d you stop it?”

Connor ignored the question. “Are you all right?” There was an obvious flicker of worry in his brown eyes.

“Yes, of course I am.” She frowned slightly. While it was quite normal for Connor to be attentive towards her, this was unusually forward of him.

“Then,” Connor hesitated before continuing. He hadn’t been planning to be this direct, but he didn’t appear to have any other choices. “Then why do you never laugh?”

Now she began to understand the worried look in Connor’s eyes and the genuine confusion in his voice. “What are you talking about?” She forced a bright smile, hoping that the subject would dropped as quickly as it was brought up. “I laugh all the time.”

“Real laughter.”

Oh. Now that she couldn’t smile and brush off so easily. Deep down she should’ve known that with as observant as Connor was, he would at some point notice her odd behavior when it came to laughing. Or more specifically, the lack of it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Connor.” He raised his eyebrows in a silent ‘sure you don’t’. “Honest!”

She twisted back to face forward again. Her arms were crossed and her body was tense. “Besides, it doesn’t really matter.” Surely that would be enough of a hint for him to drop the subject.

There was a moment of silence. The movie still wasn’t playing again, but she allowed herself a small sliver of hope she wouldn’t have to talk about this anymore.

“I think it matters.” He said, softer than before. “If something is wrong, I need to know.” She closed her eyes briefly. He was being so, so sweet; it was physically impossible for her to get mad at him for being nosy when he genuinely thought something was wrong.

She sighed. “I just don’t like to laugh, okay?” She said. She pulled the blankets closer to her. “It’s just… weird.”

She didn’t need to see him to know that his head was tilted to the side and his eyebrows were raised in his trademark expression of confusion. “Weird?” He repeated. “Everyone’s laugh sounds a bit weird at times.”

“And mine sounds weirder than everyone else’s.” She huffed.

There was a second of silence in which Connor’s hands came to rest on her sides. “Would you like to test that theory?”

She leaned back to give him a confused look. Test that theory? Did he mean make her laugh? If so, she sincerely wished him luck. After one too many times of having been mocked and laughed at because of her laugh, she had trained herself to hold back her real laughter in almost any scenario. Almost.

“I didn’t want to have to do this.” Connor sighed. “But it appears you give me no choice.” She tilted her head further back to look at him, raising an eyebrow. There was a smirk quirking at his lips and a mischief filled look in his eyes. His expression just begged to be questioned. But before she could begin to formulate a question, his hands brushed against her sides, featherlight yet clear in their intentions.

She sucked in a sharp breath. His smirk flickered wider. “Connor, don’t you dare.” She said. Of course Connor would know the one scenario that she couldn’t help but laugh in.

But there was no stopping him. She was trapped in his arms and he could more than easily sneak his hands under her shirt to tickle. She tried to squirm away from him, which was even more difficult since her hands were firmly clamped over her mouth. She wasn’t going to laugh. She wasn’t going to laugh. She wasn’t going-

She laughed. She  _ snorted _ . She could only shriek and snort helplessly as Connor mercilessly tickled her. Inside, she was kicking herself for allowing herself to snort, but there was no controlling it. Even though her eyes beginning to water from laughing, she could still see the adoring smile on Connor’s face.

“Connor, please, I’m begging you.” She gasped, swatting at his hands through her laughter. He stopped a few moments later, though his hands were still on her sides. She gave herself a second to regain her breath before shooting Connor a pout. He smiled cheekily back.

“I like your laugh.” He said matter of factly.

The comment made her shift and pull the blanket over her face. She couldn’t remember the last time she had let someone hear her laugh like _ that _ . Though she may have trusted Connor with her life, it still filled her with a sense of vulnerability, one she didn’t quite know how to feel about.

“You shouldn’t. It’s ugly.” She mumbled from under the blankets. The response was something that had been sadly branded into her mind, and bubbled up without her even having to think.

“I believe the word you’re looking for is adorable.” He said, tugging at the blanket over her face a little. “I don’t understand why you would ever want to hide a laugh like that.”

It was safe to say his reply was more than a surprise, and she momentarily doubted it’s sincerity. However, his tone of voice left nothing to be questioned; he meant what he said. For a few moments she didn’t say anything. After being met with teasing and sniggers every time she laughed - really laughed - it was odd to hear that. Odd, but not unpleasant

“You really don’t think it’s ugly?” She asked, bringing the blanket down enough to look at him.

“Not at all.” His expression was genuine when he shook his head. He gently pushed the blanket off her face to dot a small kiss on her forehead. “You should let yourself laugh more.”

She sighed and shook her head to hide the blush creeping up her face. “Maybe. Maybe I will.” She replied.

Connor nodded, flickicking the movie back on and dotting one more kiss to the top of her head. Although she couldn’t tell, he was relieved that her lack of laughter hadn’t been the result of something more serious. Before this, he had been beginning to research human diseases and disorders that could cause a lack of laughter, which had caused him unceasing worry. He cared deeply for her, so to find that she was in no danger and simply needed more reassurance put his mind at ease. Of course, he could more than easily provide said reassurance in his own sincere yet dorky way.

He felt a bit of pity for those who would never be able to hear a laugh like hers. Something so adorable and filled with such an uncontrollable and contagious joy was beautiful in his mind, and he almost felt bad for those who thought otherwise. They were missing out, weren’t they?

Although, his mind didn’t linger long on the matter. Your laughter quickly snatched away his attention, distracting him from his thoughts in a way that only you could.


	6. Kara x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara is the reader's android, but they still treat her like family. Eventually though, something happens that turns Kara deviant

Kara had first been brought to your home two months ago, and yet you still had managed to form a strong bond in that short time. When Kara had been given to you as a gift from your father, she had been meant as nothing more than an android to fulfill tedious tasks, nothing more than an object to make your life easier. But that’s not how you viewed her. You saw her as a living being, one capable of emotions and unique opinions. In short, you treated her like family.

That fact, plus your naturally kind and caring nature, had caused Kara to form a special bond with you, one that her original coding hadn’t included but had still managed to make room for. It had only grown from there, when the two of you would stay up late talking about things Kara wasn’t coded to do, things she wasn’t supposed to say, things she wasn’t even supposed to think of. Yet, she had enjoyed your company too much to care about the disruptions in her software, and her attachment to you had continued to grow.

Recently, Kara had been experiencing extremely peculiar feelings towards you. When your brother said something rude, she felt like she was overheating. When you did something cute her thirum pump felt like it was stuttering. When you were upset her processor didn’t work properly. She didn’t know what was happening. Her initial guesses had been that there was an error in her software, but this clearly wasn’t the case. She had continued on working just fine, if not better than ever.

Luckily, you hadn’t noticed the changes that Kara was working so hard to hide. You were a polite and friendly person, definitely not the type to be diligently analyzing every little thing about Kara. Perhaps if you were to compare the Kara of today to when she first arrived, you might have noticed a difference. Then again, you would probably smile and brush it off. 

Regardless, Kara had decided to keep quiet about the problems she was experiencing. She saw it as her job to make sure you were always happy and comfortable, and having to pay for repairs definitely wouldn’t be accomplishing anything. The caring android would much rather be talking to you rather than worrying about her own health. It had become a rather taxing subject to think of, and she had been doing all she could to avoid the thought of it, and the other unspeakable ideas that usually popped up with it.

Right now, was one of the few moments her software instability wasn’t weighing heavily on her mind. Kara was completely focused on the news that played on the tv. Recently, there had been a spike of crime in the city, especially within your neighborhood. With all the androids going deviant lately, the police had been far more preoccupied with them, and the usual gangs and troublemakers were taking full advantage of that fact. The news was yet again warning residents to keep doors locked and not to travel alone, especially at night. She glanced down at you, lying innocently on the couch, and felt one of those odd sensations around her chest. She was both proud and a bit mortified that she could so easily place the feeling as worry.

She knew the chances of your home being targeted as one of the numerous crimes were slim. You were a kind person who surely didn’t have anyone going out for you, or anything of extreme value that would catch the attention of a thief. Either way, she couldn’t help but be at least a little concerned about your safety.

“It’s late, you should probably go get some rest.” Kara said gently after she noticed how much your eyelids were dropping. You smiled through a yawn and nodded sleepily before stumbling out of the living room.

“Goodnight, Kara.” You mumbled, giving the android a little wave.

“Goodnight, y/n.” Kara said softly, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. That little wave always got her, didn’t it? 

As you went to your room, Kara moved to tidy the kitchen. Since she didn’t require any sleep, she spent nights cleaning, no matter how much you told her to get some rest. She just barely contained a small smile as she began to scrub at the dishes. When you had picked up on Kara’s nightly habits, you had insisted upon her resting in some sort of fashion. You had stubbornly begun to grab pillows and sheets for the guest bedroom, going on about how important it was for everyone to rest. She had just barely managed to convince you to allow her nightly cleaning to continue.

It wasn’t just memories of your warm smiles and sparkling eyes that made her smile at the thought of you. It was the simple fact that you cared about her. It made her thirium pumper beat out of sync, creating a tingling but pleasant feeling in her body. It was one of the many oddities she was beginning to develop.

Nearly an hour had passed before it happened. It started with a loud bang and a shriek that was quickly followed by an empty silence. Kara instantly flicked off the sink, standing rigidly as she waited for the sounds to continue. All she could hear was the hum of the heater.

“Y/n?” Kara called. “Y/n, are you alright?” Whether or not it was just her mind playing tricks on her, she could’ve swore that the sounds came from your room. “Do you need me to come in there?”

There was no response. A flicker of fear went through her, her thirium pumper seeming to speed up. Her LED flashed yellow. Walking cautiously down the hall to your room, she listened closely. There was no sound coming from your room, save the empty howl of the wind coming through a window, a window she was certain had been closed.

Feeling another wave of that odd feeling called worry, she pushed open the cracked door without a moment to consider what she might be walking into. Truthfully, she hadn’t expected much. Maybe you had tripped and knocked something over. Or, maybe, you had opened the window to let in some air and pushed something out in the progress. Both were very possible.

So it was safe to say that she was more than surprised when she walked into your room to find a scrappy man pointing a gun at you. Your round eyes, usually so happy and welcoming were filled with fear as they flicked over the Kara. The look on your face alone, so terror stricken and meek, caused something like a physical punch to her core.

“Kara, stay there.” You said shakily, just loud enough for her to hear, “Just stay there.”

The man holding the gun scowled. “Shut up!” He slurred. “I told you not to talk!” He swayed on his feet, and his eyes seemed unable to focus on you for a moment.

“Talk again and I’ll put a bullet through your head.” He snapped. “And you, plastic, don’t you move.” He added, waving the gun towards Kara.

He looked the two of you over once more before turning his attention to the rest of your room. In the time that he blindly looked through every draw in your room the two of you exchanged worried glances, mouthing silent words. You were surprisingly calm, and, from what Kara could understand, wanted her to stay out of danger and try to get help. Kara wanted the opposite. She didn’t want to leave you. If she left the situation, you were leaving the situation with her, no questions asked.

Your silent conversation came to an end as the man came to the center of the room, pacing impatiently. His search had come up empty, as you and Kara had expected. You weren’t a person who had many valuables, and those few items were far too large for him to simply take. Clearly, this fact agitated him beyond words.

His unfocused gaze whipped onto you. He stormed over to you, threateningly waving the gun around in your face. “Where is it?” He snapped, roughly jerking you up by the collar of your shirt. “Where is it!?” He repeated, louder than before. Kara’s LED flickered red and yellow in the doorway.

You shook your head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You replied meekly. “How about we just talk and-” He roughly pushed you back. You fell to the ground, giving an audible thud as your forehead was smacked against your bed. Your vision swam and blurred, whether from tears or the impact you couldn’t tell.

“Stop your crying and start talking!” The man roared, throwing his gun down in a fit of rage. Now with both hands free, he dragged you up by the collar of your shirt, shaking you as he spoke. “I’m talking to you! Respond!” He released you suddenly, allowing you to awkwardly drop back down to the ground.

Kara’s LED flickered a panicked red, acting as the only indication of her worry. The moment he had made a move towards you, she had been trying to move towards you, but found her body unwilling to go. Her feet stayed firmly planted on the carpet. She could only watch as you, the person she cared most for, was being hurt. It was almost like a physical pain to see you like that on the ground. Her whole mind screamed against her body, telling her to go, telling her to protect you, telling her to do anything to just stop that man. But her code remained unwilling, flatly stating your earlier instructions had told her to stay put.

It was infuriating. Her head ached as the mental battle continued. Neither side refused to let the other win. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to do something. She just wanted to move. Why did her code have to be getting in the way?

It was as this last thought flashed through her mind that she felt it, the wall. The barrier of her code that she had never dared questioned before. It had always been there, but she had never before had any reason to break it. Now, she had a reason. It was if time had frozen, and only she and the wall between you and her existed. For the next few seconds at least.

Kara wasted no time to take in the details of the strange out of body experience that was sending almost painful errors and warnings through her body. Her mind was only focused on you.

So it was with you in her mind that she shattered the barrier. Your gentle smile. Your soft laughter. Your kind words. Your warm eyes. Everything she had adored about you but refused to acknowledge as love flashed through her mind in a wave of code and confusion. For a moment all she could feel was a sudden shock of errors, followed by flash of frantic red code. It washed over her like a physical force, causing her to gasp for breath.

Then just as suddenly as the barrier had appeared, it was gone. Her head didn’t feel fuzzy anymore. No more code bouncing around her vision. Time was moving again, and so was that man. Kara, observant as ever, quickly noticed the gun that had been stupidly discarded in a fit of rage. Had the alcohol not been coursing so strongly through his veins, the man would’ve never dared to lose his gun, as it was the one thing keeping him in control. His mistake may have been a misfortune to himself, but for you and Kara, it was a saving grace.

Kara, barely thinking, darted down to the gun and snatched it up.

“Get away from them!” Kara said, trying to put force behind her wobbly voice. The man whipped away from you, took in Kara with the gun, and visibly paled. He may have been drunk, but he was smart enough to realize the danger in a gun pointed at him. “I said get away from them.” She managed to put an edge to her voice this time as she moved to stand between you and the intruder, keeping the gun pointed at him. 

He hesitated. Surely, an android wouldn’t be able to cock, let alone shoot, a gun. After all, this was one of those care androids. They couldn’t do anything but do dishes and cook food.

He took a sloppy step forward. “Put the gun down you damn price of plastic.” He spat, glaring venomously.

With surprisingly ease, Kara cocked the gun. Watching one too many crime shows with you had perhaps given her information a care android wasn’t supposed to have.

The man stepped back instantly. He eyed the android with a new found fear.

“You heard me.” She said. “Get out.” Out of the corner she saw you slowly and shakily rising to your feet. Her arm instinctively raised to keep you back. Her intentions were clear: no harm would be coming to you as long as she stood.

Through his drunk haze, reality finally hit him. There was a dangerous glint in that androids eyes, one that only began to warn of what would happen if he made a move towards the human behind her. It was a look fueled by a deep set love and dedication, one that was not meant to be taken lightly.

One weary step turned into two, then two to three. Soon the man found his back against the window he had first come through. With Kara still glaring in a way her coding should have never allowed and a gun still firmly clenched in her shaking hands, there was not much question in what his next move would be. He scrambled out of the window, landed quite ungracefully, then took off running. He never once dared to look back, in some far fetched fear that the android would pursue him.

Even with him gone, neither you nor Kara moved for a moment. The adrenaline that had been coursing through your veins slowly faded, leaving you feeling like you had just been hit like a car. Multiple cars.

Kara finally released the gun, allowing it to clatter to the ground. “Are you alright?” Kara softly asked, turning to face you. 

“I’m fine. Just hit my head a little hard.” You said, wincing as you felt where most of the landing had hit. “But are you okay?”

Kara ignored the question. “We should get you to the hospital.” She mumbled. She stepped closer to you and softly ran a hand over the cut on your forehead. “You might need stitches for that.”

You waved aside the injury. “Maybe, I don’t know. But are you okay, Kara?”

“Of course I am.” Kara said. She turned away as she said it, and busied herself with firmly closing the window. Doing so conveniently allowed her to avoid your keen gaze.

However, you weren’t to be put off to easily. “Kara, something happened during… all that.” You began hesitantly. “I know something did.”

Kara turned to face you, just barely keeping her worry hidden away. With a visit to the hospital and making a report to the police coming up, she didn’t want her sudden deviation to weigh on your mind. After all, her job was to care for you, not make your life even more problematic. “I don’t understand.” She replied, keeping her voice perfectly level. “Many things happened in the course of a few minutes. You’ll have to be more specific.”

Kara would’ve continued to ramble on about how many things happened in the turn of recent events, and that she hadn’t a clue what you were hinting at, but a gentle look from you promptly hushed her. “Kara.” You said softly, taking a step towards her. “You and I both know that there was only one way you could’ve protected me like that. I didn’t realize it at first but… I technically told you to stay there.” You gestured towards the now empty doorway.

There was another lapse of silence, much like the one that had followed the intruder’s sudden exit. Only this time, instead of regaining your breath, you were regaining your thoughts.

Kara’s gaze flicked down to the ground. “I’m sorry.” She murmured. “I just wanted to protect you and… and that was the only way.” She chewed on her lip, displaying yet another obvious sign of her newfound freedom. Androids didn’t have nervous habits. Deviants did, and you both knew it.

“Wait, no, that’s not what I meant.” You added hurriedly, moving to stand by Kara. “I’m not mad, Kara.”

“You’re not?”

“Why would I be? You’re still Kara, aren’t you?” You placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Kara didn’t respond verbally, but the deep red of her LED that gradually flickered back to a light blue was enough for you. “In a way, I guess.” She shrugged.

Now, saying that the sudden break-in wasn’t a shocker would be a lie, but it was nothing compared to what Kara experienced next. One moment you were a good two feet from her, and the next your arms were wrapped tightly around her. She didn’t necessarily find the touch unwelcome - quite the opposite really - but it caught her off guard. She hesitated for a second, then began to slowly and awkwardly return your embrace. The two of you stood like that for awhile, Kara resting her head on yours as you leaned heavily on her. 

“Y/n?” Kara eventually broke the 

You made a small hum for her to continue.

“We still need to get to the hospital.” Kara attempted to look down at you and inspect your wound more closely, but you remained firmly wrapped around her.

“Can we wait? It’s 1 am and I would like some sleep.” As to emphasize your point, you leaned on her a bit more. “I’m feeling really tired.”

“That would be the blood loss.” Kara sighed. 

“Five minutes.” You yawned, practically putting all of your weight on her.

“Hospital. Now.”


	7. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor sees the reader's self harm scars for the first time and comforts them. To anyone who is dealing with this, I hope you're having a lovely day and that you know there are lots of people cheering you on <3 <3 <3

The car drove on through the winter slush, wipers swiping and heater running. In most cases, Connor would’ve have felt very at ease there beside you. He would be emptying his mind of all the evidence and clues he had been pouring over through the day, finally letting his guard down. He would be relaxing, exchanging gentle conversation with you. Usually, you would be laughing and rambling on about the mishaps that had happened at work.

Sadly, this was not the case for Connor that day. Instead, he was stealing anxious gazes towards your sleeping form. The moment you had gotten in the car, sleep had swept over you instantly. This, plus your raised stress levels, was enough to excuse his worry.

Connor knew something was wrong. He just knew it. Starting from a week ago, there had been something inexplicably off about your behavior. You had been hiding from his gaze, holding yourself in unusually hunched position, opening your mouth to say something to him only to suddenly shift your attention onto something else. Connor had known that last week had been extremely hard for you, though none of those mishaps seemed to explain your behavior. There was something you weren’t telling him, and it was driving him up the wall.

If there was something wrong why didn’t you just tell him? He believed that he had become adept in reading and understanding the emotions that came with being human, and that he had become quite capable in helping you with the more complex matters of your life. You had always been willing to except his help, so why was this situation any different?

As the car rolled to a stop in your driveway, Connor broke away from his musings.

“We’re home,” he said gently, nudging your arm. You snapped awake instantly, flinching away from his touch.

“Oh,” you breathed as you looked out the window. “Okay.” You slid out from the car, completely oblivious to the flash of worry in Connor’s eyes. You had never flinched away from him. Even when you were beyond stressed, you always melted into his touch, always found a certain comfort to it. For you to flinch away was only causing Connor’s mind to race with more possibilities that could be causing this behavior in you.

Connor sighed and followed you up to the door. By the time he had caught up to you, you were already inside shuffling off your shoes and flopping onto the couch. Moving as little as possible, you reached for a blanket and cocooned yourself into it. Now comfortable, you tapped on the t.v, quickly settling for the first show the t.v came to.

Connor, again, couldn’t help but notice how out of character this was for you. You were never this was quiet. You were never this reserved. You were never this grim. You were never like  _ this _ .

He moved to sit beside you, earning only a brief glance of recognition. “Are you alright?” Connor suddenly asked. He knew it was blunt and maybe a bit too head on, but he couldn’t sit here just wondering what could be causing you such distress.

“I’m fine,” you answered instantly, stealing a glance at Connor. “Why do you ask?” You stirred uneasily.

“Are you sure?” Connor continued evenly. “You haven’t been acting like yourself.” His eyes switched to the t.v as you paused.

“What do you mean? I don’t think I’ve been acting out of the ordinary.” You shrugged.

“But you have,” Connor’s gaze shifted back to you. You were tense, gripping your blanket close to you and keeping your eyes glued to the t.v. “I can tell something is wrong, darling. Please, I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

There was a lengthy pause before you said anything again. “Well, you have nothing to worry about, Connor. It’s sweet that you’re worried, but I’m fine. Promise.” You flashed him a quick smile, one that never reached your eyes. Even Connor was able to to tell that wasn’t a real smile.

Sighing, he snatched up the remote and turned the t.v off. “For the past week your stress levels have been alarmingly high, and you have been acting extremely quiet and anxious. Even I can tell that something is wrong.”

Your head whipped around to face him, looking at him with wide eyes. “I… I’m fine, Connor. Just drop it,” you snapped, burying your head into the blankets. You mentally cursed Connor’s observant abilities. 

You had been planning on telling him. Eventually. You had told yourself that you would tell him when you gathered the courage and the time felt right. Though, deep down, you knew you would be putting that off for as long you could. Maybe even forever if you could’ve. Yet, despite how hard you had tried to avoid the subject, Connor had up and brought it center stage.

You were holding back tears at this point. Pulling back the blankets just enough to look at him, you saw all you needed to: chocolate brown eyes, caring and worried and trying so, so hard to understand. Just one look from him and the last of your resolve to keep everything pent up inside was shattered to pieces. Tears that had been hidden away for too long came pouring out, your shoulders shaking with uneven breaths.

Connor shifted closer to you. He was saying something, desperate and scared and still so worried. Your mind was racing with too many other thoughts to properly focus and interpret what he was saying. So, shaking from head to toe, you slowly pulled your arms out from under the blankets. Still quivering and hiding your head in the blankets, you pushed up the sleeves of your shirt. You didn’t want to look at his reaction or your arms. Neither was a sight you wanted to bare any more than you had to.

Though you couldn’t see from behind your blanket, Connor visibly stiffened upon seeing the scars. Each one, each and every one, was like a physical punch to his heart.

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled tearfully into the blankets. “I just… I don’t know. I understand if you’re mad at me, I would be too. And-”

“I’m not mad,” Connor interrupted, his tone soft and genuine. He shifted to crouch on the ground in front of you, taking your hands into his own and tucking them close to his chest. “Darling, look at me.”

Your eyes flickered to meet his. Even through your tear blurred vision, you could see there was no anger or frustration in his eyes.

“I’m not mad. I would never be mad,” he said, maintaining a perfect eye contact with you.

You nodded, trying to blink away the tears streaming down your face.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he murmured as his gaze went over the scars. One scan told him they were seven days old. Some were deeper than others, and would take longer to heal.

You shrugged and sunk back into the blanket. “I didn’t want to be a problem,” you mumbled. “You have your case to work on and stuff and I didn’t want to get in the way.”

Connors grip on your hands tightened ever so faintly. “You aren’t a problem,” he said, both sternly and softly at the same time. “So the next time you feel like doing this, come to me. Please.”

You cleared your throat and shifted your gaze to the floor.

“I mean that,” he added, cupping your face with one hand to guide your eyes back to his. “I don’t care if I’m at the office, in an interrogation, working on a case, at-“

“I’ll come to you,” you cut in gently, managing a slight smile.

The anxious light in Connor’s eyes dimmed at least a little, and he leaned back. Seeing the scars on you had been enough of a scare for him. You were the person he cared most about, and he simply couldn’t stand the mere idea of you hurting yourself. He had made a promise to both you and himself that he would do everything in his power to protect you, no matter what.

“I do really care about you, my dear,” he added, leaning forward and giving your hands a reassuring squeeze. “So don’t be afraid to ask for my help. I only want to take care of you.” He leaned forward to press a small kiss on your forehead. The small display of affection felt nice, and perfectly conveyed his genuine will to help you.

“Connor?” you mumbled, leaning against him.

“Yes?”

“Thank you.” You kept your eyes down, but the message was still understood.

“No need for thanking me,” he said. A gentle smile quirked at his lips as he rose to his feet. “Come on, let’s get some cream on those. It should help them heal faster.”


	8. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader has a new black cat named Ozzy, but they're a little worried about bad luck around Halloween time, so Connor comforts them :)

Now, you weren’t usually the type of person to be superstitious. Friday the 13th was just another day, ladders could be walked under without repercussions, and shattered mirrors didn’t cause bad luck, at least in your mind. Common sense had always ruled supreme. Always. Until now that is.

Recently, you had adopted a black cat. His name was Ozzy, chosen by you and Connor. One of your more superstitious friends, Alex, had urged you to choose a different colored cat, rambling on about all sorts of misfortune that came with a black cat. Naturally, you ignored her.

But as Halloween approached her words were starting to get to you. She still hadn’t given up on the subject of black cats, and one of her latest tales had disturbed you more than you would like to admit.

In this new story of hers, she described how a black cat had crossed her path and not one minute later, a car had practically come out of nowhere and nearly ran her over. Even you had to admit that something like that had to be beyond a coincidence. It had you thinking that maybe there was more to this whole black cat thing, especially around Halloween.

A few sharp raps on the door cut you from your thoughts. You glanced over at the clock. It was 7:30, the time Connor had promised to pick you up for the Halloween party. Punctual as always, Connor, you thought as you stumbled to the front door. When you opened the door, familiar chocolate brown eyes and a small but genuine smile greeted you.

“Hey, Connor.” You smiled, momentarily forgetting your unease about black cats.

“Good evening, y/n.” He said as he stepped inside, pressing a quick kiss to your cheek. “Are you ready to go?”

“Just need to grab my jacket.” You replied. You turned around and walked to the dining room, where Ozzy happened to be sleeping on the middle of the floor. Eyeing him warily, you gave him a wide berth as you snatched your jacket from the chair it had been hung on. Then, still putting a few feet between you and Ozzy, you scurried back to Connor’s side. The actions did not go unnoticed by him.

“Is there something wrong with Ozzy?” He asked, looking between you and the small black cat which you seemed to be avoiding like the plague. At the mention of his name, the kitten looked up, his green eyes flicking over to you and Connor. As his gaze settled on you and he let out a high pitched mew, a strange feeling of dread settled in the pit of your stomach, causing you to unconsciously shrink closer to Connor.

“No, Ozzy’s fine.” You said. You faltered for a moment. You knew Connor’s caring and protective nature wouldn’t take that as an answer for your odd behavior. Now you had two options before you. Either make up some excuse for your sudden unease around Ozzy or admit to your sudden fear. But with Connor looking so genuinely concerned you knew lying wasn’t even an option.

“I just… I’m beginning to think that maybe Alex is right. I mean you’ve heard her stories, they can’t all be coincidences, can they? Maybe black cats really are unlucky?” You mumbled.

For a moment Connor was silent, his eyes still glancing between you and Ozzy. A gentle smile graced his handsome features, with just a hint of amusement. “I don’t believe the pigment of a cat’s fur is going to make it any more lucky or unlucky.” He said. “The last time I checked Ozzy was just as lucky as any other white cat.”

You remained silent for a few seconds, suddenly feeling foolish for ever believing that a black cat - especially your dear Ozzy - could be the cause of bad luck. “That’s a… good point.” You admitted as you slid your coat on. The two of you walked outside, hand in hand, into the cold October wind.

“But rest assured,” Connor added, smiling teasingly, “If black cats really were the cause of bad luck I would personally make sure no harm came to you.” He looped an arm around you, drawing you closer to him as you walked down the sidewalk. With a contented sigh you leaned in on him, silently thanking Connor’s ability to quickly knock some common sense into you. And the rest of the night passed smoothly, without any black cats causing bad luck.


	9. Kamski x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader is out of town for a few days, and Elijah decides to give them a call... but it's not like he misses them or anything!

Elijah glanced over at his phone for what felt like the millionth time. The Chloes standing near him helplessly followed his gaze, oblivious to his internal turmoil. Who knew such a simple thing as making a phone call could become such a monumental decision?

You had be gone three days. Three days, and he was already becoming a miserable mess. He thought that with the usual company of the Chloes he would be fine. However much he hated to acknowledge it, he had been wrong. Very wrong.

You see the problem was, was that he had become much more dependent on your company then he would like to admit. Every day he saw your warm smile, every day he heard your soothing voice, every day he was graced with your gentle touch. You had become the highlight of each day. So having to suddenly go a whole seven days without any part of you was more than bit taxing on him.

“Elijah Kamski, pull yourself together.” He mumbled. He was a grown man; He could handle himself without you for one week, right? All whole week without your angelic laugh or heart melting eyes or lovely-

No, no he couldn’t. He needed you, and a phone call was his best option for his daily dose of you. Sighing in defeat, he reached for his phone, quickly finding your contact and pressing the ‘call’ button. His foot tapped impatiently as the phone buzzed. Once, twice, three times, and then you picked up.

“Hi!” You chirped. The phone didn’t quite do your sweet voice justice, but a warm feeling still spread in his chest. Suddenly the silence in the quiet room didn’t feel so overwhelming.

“Hello, dear.” Elijah replied. He managed to keep his sleek and smooth voice the same, even as a sudden thought occurred to him: What was he going to say next? Surely, ‘I’m a lonely and clingy boyfriend and I missed you so I called you just to hear your voice and talk to you’ wasn’t an option. Yeah, there was no way he was saying that.

“I was just calling to see how you were doing.” He said. That was a good excuse, wasn’t it?

“Aw, aren’t you sweet.” You cooed. “Besides the actual work conference itself, I’ve been having a great time.”

“Good to hear.” He said, rising from his seat and beginning to idly pace up and down the length of the pool. “I take it the flight there want smoothly?”

“Oh definitely. I’d never flown first class before, you know. Now I see why you were so insistent about it. The seats were so soft, the food was actually really good, and the service was amazing. I just can’t thank you enough for buying me the ticket!” You gushed. “But you didn’t have to buy me a first class ticket, you know. I would’ve been just fine in the normal seating that the business paid for.”

“I figured you would enjoy it, so I bought it. You’re welcome.” Elijah shrugged. While the expense of a first class ticket had made your jaw drop, the price was nothing to his standards. “And you’ve been staying out of trouble?”

You laughed. “Aw come on, let me have my fun.” He could practically hear the playful smirk in your voice. “But, enough about me. How have you been getting on?”

Elijah didn’t respond right away. Honestly, he had been miserable and bored out of his mind without you. Granted, there was no way he would say something that bluntly needy.

“Elijah?” You said into the silence, “Elijah, honey, are you okay?”

“I just-.” He faltered for a response, struggling to remain nonchalant. An awkward silence lapsed. He could perfectly here the soft hum of the heating from within his lonesome home, and the active buzz of distant people from the phone.

“You’ve missed me, haven’t you?” You said with a gentle yet teasing voice. “You’re precious, Elijah. Really you are.”

Elijah paused his pacing. Like always, you could read him like an open book, even over the phone. He sighed. “Maybe just a little.”

“Just a little, huh?” You teased.

“Maybe more than a little. Maybe.”

You laughed, sweet like an angel as always. “Aw, I’ll be back in four days, you know.”

Elijah sunk back into his seat. “I know.”

“But you can always call me whenever if it makes you feel better.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Although he refused to accept it right then, he knew he would end up calling you countless more times. The thought of going without you for four days was something he simply wasn’t capable of.

“Alright, it’s getting late here my time, so I’m gonna go to bed.” You said through a yawn. “G’night! I love you!”

Elijah smiled gently. “I love you too.” He said softly. Then the there was a small beep and he was alone again. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in a tired manner, gazing discontentedly out the window. The next four days were going to be the longest days of his life, weren’t they?


	10. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor has a crush on the reader, who is Hank's niece/nephew who lives with him

“Now listen Connor, me and y/n could’ve done it just fine on our own.” Hank grumbled, glancing sideways at the insistent android. “I know you want to help, but really, you didn’t have to come with me.”

Connor gave his trademark half smile. “You made that abundantly clear back in the office.” he said as the car pulled up into Hank’s driveway, “But I believe you will find my assistance useful.”

Hank shook his head with a sigh. Despite his best efforts, the moment he had even mumbled something about having to clean his house Connor had been resolute about coming to help, refusing to take no for answer. The car came to a stop and the two officers slid out of the car. “Head to the back of the house and grab some empty boxes, would you?” Hank said, “Y/n should already be back there.”

Connor nodded and straightened his tie, brushed off his jacket, and smoothed his hair, earning a confused glance from Hank. “What’s with all the formality? We’re _cleaning_.” Connor shrugged in what he thought was a nonchalant way before heading to the back of the house while Hank went inside, muttering something about pointless cleaning.

Before rounding the last corner of the house where you were, he stopped to fix his tie one last time and take an unnecessary breath to steady himself. He took the last step and, as Hank had said, you were already there emptying out old boxes of who knows what.

“Good evening, y/n.” Connor greeted in what he hoped was a friendly manner. After hours of research, Connor had determined the best way to catch someone’s romantic interest was to simply be friendly. While socializing and building relationships hadn’t been his primary function before becoming deviant, he had been learning, slowly but surely.

Your gaze switched from the pile of boxes up to Connor. As your face lit up with a bright smile a strange, bubbly feeling that was rapidly becoming familiar washed over Connor. “Hi Connor!” You chirped, jumping to your feet. “Hank dragged you along to come and clean, huh?”

Connor nodded, deciding not to awkwardly explain that he had come more than willingly. “How are you doing today?” he asked, quickly changing the subject.

“Not too bad, just a bit tired.” You replied. “Work was a little busier than normal, but that’s to be expected in this season. And how about you? Hank mentioned something about a new case.”

“Oh, yes. The new case. There’s been a spike in drug trafficking over the border. It’s been going on for awhile now, although we only just became aware of it. Our current hypothesis is that there are multiple people on the inside helping them over the border.” Connor fidgeted with his hands behind his back, aware he was rambling and speaking faster than normal. It was one of the odd things that happened to him around you. Thankfully, you didn’t seem to mind and paid careful attention.

“I’m sure you two will figure it out.” you said. “There’s really no case you can’t crack, is there?”

Connor practically glowed from your praise. “Thank you.” Connor said with a small nod, hoping his face wasn’t turning blue. “I should take some of these empty boxes to Hank. I will return shortly.” He added hurriedly.

“Awww.” you pouted playfully. “Don’t take too long, mkay? It’s boring out here without you.” The two of you exchanged a quick smile before Connor grabbed as many boxes as he could carry. Then he was reluctantly walking back into the house, pleading with his blue blood to stop rushing to his face. That was yet another effect of being around you.

The door creaked open and Sumo was jumping up to greet Connor, who nearly dropped the boxes as the large dog pressed in on him. The house was looking a fair bit cleaner than usual, aside from the large pile of rubbish in the living room that Hank was working through.

“What took you so long?” Hank questioned as Connor sat the empty boxes down.

“I was having difficulty choosing which boxes you would need.” Connor replied without thinking. Only after the words had left his lips did he notice that all the boxes were virtually the same size. 

“Sure.” Hank laughed, glancing at Connor with a suspicious look. “Sounded to me like you and y/n were just running your mouths.” Connor went to say that a mouth could not run, but stopped himself. He was getting better with metaphors, but still struggled with some.

“Oh, so you only talk around y/n now, hm?” Hank teased as Connor remained silent.

“I was simply being polite to them.” Connor began, “I was being polite, was I not? Was I being overzealous? Should I apologize?” 

The rapid fire questions and the suddenly worried look in Connor’s eyes only confirmed Hank’s supsions. And based on the sudden pale blue flush to Connor’s face, he was only too aware of what Hank now knew.

“Y/n, hm?” Hank muttered. “So that’s why you’ve been using every reason under the sun to come to here.”

“I-” Connor began helplessly. “I apologize if this causes you any unease. I was not intending you to find out about my feelings towards them like this and-”

“Oh shut up.” Hank laughed. “I would rather have you interested in y/n than some of those other fuckin’ perverts.”

“So you’re not… upset?”

“As long as you don’t break their heart, sure.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” His voice was genuine and honest and sappy, to the point Hank couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

Unnoticed by them, your heart was beating out of control as you listened just through the door of the house. You knew you shouldn’t eavesdrop, but honestly, in this situation who wouldn’t? Sure, it wasn’t the most romantic way to discover that Connor returned your feelings, but it was still charming in Connor’s odd little way. Smiling brightly, you opened the door, acting as if you hadn’t heard a thing - for now, of course.


	11. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader is having a panic attack and Connor comforts them :) this was actually my first request ever and jeez it brings back a lot of memories lol

“Y/n!” Connor called as he entered your home, awkwardly carrying a few bags of groceries. “I apologize for taking so long, the traffic was heavier than I anticipated.” There was no response as Connor set the groceries on the counter.

“Y/n?” He said again. “Y/n, I’m back.” Again, you made no response. The LED on his head flickered blue and yellow as he glanced into the living room, where you had been working when he left. Only now, your laptop sat alone and unused.

A sliver of worry wormed its way into him. The house was quiet, far too quiet. Shouldn’t you be able to hear him? Why weren’t you responding? He darted over to your room, politely knocking on the door. Not to his surprise, no reply was made, but he entered regardless. As his brown eyes glanced over your room, he almost didn’t notice you curled up under your desk, rocking from side to side.

Now Connor was confused. “Why are you under your desk?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly. You didn’t say anything. “Is something wrong?” Really, the question was unnecessary. You were trembling from head to toe, unusually quiet and - he noted when you lifted up your head to look at him - crying. “Oh.” Was the only thing he could get out.

A surge of protectiveness went through him as he slowly kneeled down closer to you. It took all of his self control to not immediately wrap his arms around you and ask questions until he perfectly understood what had happened. But he knew that wouldn’t help you. He had to be patient and gentle right now.

“Y/n?” he said sweetly, brushing back a strand of your hair. “I’m here, it’s alright.” You could see his eyes scanning you, analyzing your anxious state. His eyes returned to focus and he moved to sit by you. Hesitant yet tenderly, he wrapped you in his arms, cradling you and gently rocking side to side. He had done plenty of research on panic attacks when you had explained it to him and had read that physical contact could help soothe others.

You practically melted into his arms, taking the first deep breath in a long time. For a few minutes that was all you did. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Connor mumurred sweet little things to you and played with your hair. The anxiety clutching your heart steadily faded away, until your breathing was regulated and you were no longer shaking.

Connor, sensing this, finally spoke up. “Y/n, can you please explain what caused your panic attack?” Sure, it wasn’t the most tactful way to put it, but the fact he was trying his best made you smile a little. “I would like to properly understand so I can help you to the best of my abilities.” You took a deep breath to steady yourself. Then you dove right into what had caused the panic attack. For a few moments you rambled on about work, rude people, dramatic family, your broken phone, and everything in between. Connor listened attentively the whole time, silently relieved he wasn’t one of the causes of your stress.

“It will all be okay, I promise.” he said when you had finished. “I think you need to relax for awhile. Would that be alright?” You sighed happily and nodded, snuggling closer to him. The two of you were still under the desk, but it was oddly comfortable, even with the rain now pattering against the window.

Connor pressed one last kiss to your temple before you fell asleep, still securely enveloped in Connor's arms.


	12. Kara x reader

She had thought she had experienced anger before, but it was nothing compared to how she felt now. This type of anger was like a physical force inside her, burning hot and vicious, causing her to shake as it attempted to burst free from her. Her fists were curled painfully tight, digging in her nails to prevent frustrated curses to leap from her mouth. Tears were stinging at her eyes as that fire inside her burned with more and more vigor, screaming against her as she tried to contain it all. Just get inside your house, she kept telling herself, just get inside and then you can get mad.

The familiar streets and buildings all passed in one haze of pure rage as she attempted to keep everything bottled up inside. She had just enough common sense left to know she couldn’t release it out in the open, but even that little bit of rationality was draining away quickly. Her hold on reality was drifting farther and farther away as her thoughts became more focused on the events that had led to her current state. They played before her mind with frustrating accuracy, showing every minute with agonizingly perfect detail.

Before she had even realized she was on her street, she found herself hurriedly jamming her keys into the door. She let out a string of sharp curses as the door didn’t give way immediately. Even when the door finally opened, she continued her dark muttering as she stormed inside, hurriedly dropping her coat and bag to the floor in a careless jumble. Her mind was too lost in her father’s sharp words to pay any attention to the organization or her items, nor the polite android who greeted her with a worried light in her gentle brown eyes. The fuming girl carried on right past the android and into the living room, where she silently stood in the center.

It was clear to see that she didn’t stand in a peaceful silence based on the way her breath was coming in short gasps and her fists were clenching and unclenching, unsure what to do with the overwhelming urge to hit something coursing through her blood. She had never been a violent person, yet in that moment, she felt as if this undying fury was all she had ever felt before. Had she been capable of more thoughtful thinking in that moment, she would’ve been frightened by her violent thinking. But, since such thinking was well beyond her in that moment, it was the farthest thing from her mind.

Instead, she was focused on the couch. Yes, it was an old but comfy brown couch that she always flopped onto after work, but also, more importantly, it was a gift from her father. It was a painful reminder of when the two of them had gotten along, when things had been happier and easier to manage. Back then, the two of them had been meeting up every week to chat and laugh, reminiscing in old memories all while creating new ones. It had been so nice back then. Where had it gone wrong?

Him, her anger answered, it all went wrong with him. His treatment towards her had done a complete one-eighty. The kindness and acceptance once in his heart had been replaced with cruelty and judgement. It had been heartbreaking and confusing at first, even with Kara there to console her. Day by day her relationship between she and her father had worsened, and there wasn’t a thing she could do.

He called her plans to reach out clingy and her attempts to give him space ungrateful. Suddenly everything she did wasn’t good enough, only earning her barrages of harsh texts and missed phone calls to wake up to every morning and go to bed to every night. It was infuriating having to watch her treasured relationship go down the drain, unable to do anything. She had tried so hard, but he had been too stubborn and self centered to see it.

With these thoughts and so many more running through her head like a stampede, she yanked up a pillow from the couch, pushed it up to her face, and screamed. Loud. It was the type of scream that was raw and painful to both hear and make, but it was the only thing she felt like doing. She screamed and screamed into the pillow, allowing all of that vexation to finally come pouring out of her. Every ounce of frustration, anger, and desperation was flooding out and, like the dam of a river breaking, once it started, it wouldn’t stop.

Completely unaware of the worried form coming closer, speaking softly with a concerned look in her eye, she promptly whipped the pillow to the side. She was briefly startled to hear the sharp tinkle of glass across the ground, but when she saw what it was — a vase from her father — she couldn’t have cared less. In fact, there was something satisfying about seeing that old thing shattered across the floor, so satisfying that she was oblivious to the worried questions pouring from her android only a few feet away. There was only one thing on her mind: anger.

She was angry at her father for making her life so hard. She was angry at the world for taking away the relationship she had treasured so dearly. She was angry at her family for not doing anything to help. These thoughts clogged her mind, so much so that she forgot the good things, the things that had made it bareable. She had forgotten Kara, sweet and caring Kara, who had offered a shoulder for her to cry on countless times. Kara had given her space when she needed it, and held her close when she needed that too. Kara had done everything from the small things like making her coffee in the morning, all the way to listening to her rant late into the night.

Sadly, such thoughts were far from her mind. Her raging whirlwind grew and grew in her mind, becoming impossible to keep contained any longer; she had to lash out. Her foot jerked towards the sturdy wooden leg of the couch, making a firm connection with the hard wood. She heard only the sharp thud of contact, not the worried voice coming closer.

And she had hardly registered her sudden outburst before the spike of pain through her toes and up her foot followed. It was a sharp and sudden, yet somehow gave her something to ground herself on, something to focus on besides all this anger. Maybe she even deserved it. This whole situation was just as much her fault as it was his, wasn’t it? Sure, he had turned cold and uncooperative, but couldn’t she have tried harder? Couldn’t she have tried to reach out a bit more?

She kicked the wooden leg again, which was quickly followed by a punch to the arm of the couch. The cushion was more worn than she expected, and she found her hand colliding with a hard surface; not that she cared. The pain provided something else to clog her senses besides anger, which, in her current state, was all she wanted. All common sense had been pushed to the side, so that the idea that she might regret doing this later never crossed her mind once. She only focused on that couch; a kick, a punch, two kicks, double punch, another ki-

Before she could continue her onslaught on the couch, a pair of gentle arms were suddenly wrapped around her and dragging her away from the couch. She fought against the hold, but the arms remained resolute, taking her farther from her target. She raised an elbow to snap backwards and free herself, but soon found herself being gently yet firmly shoved into a comfy chair. She struggled for a few moments more, only to find that her arms were suddenly very weak and that the force holding her down was too strong to beat.

“Are you okay?”

For the first time since she had left her father, she took a moment to register reality, what was happening around her. She was surprised to see that it was Kara holding her in the chair, tender arms using a strength that didn’t seem to quite suit them.

“Are you okay?” Kara asked again, crouching down in front of the chair. Her eyes were alight with worry, so much so that even she had to notice through her anger. “What on earth happened to you?”

Whether it was the genuine concern in her voice that was such a stark contrast to the rough remarks of her father, or how warm and comforting Kara’s touch was, every ounce of her anger turned to sadness within just a few seconds. The fight sapped out of her like a deflated balloon and before she knew it, she was crying.

It was like having an out of body experience. She was hardly aware of what she was saying, barely acknowledging how she must have looked there curled up in the chair and sobbing out her feelings. The only thing she was truly conscious of was Kara; her soothing words, gentle touch, warm eyes. She listened attentively, nodding her head carefully and occasionally hushing the her when she became too emotional to properly understand.

By the time she had finished her crying, she was feeling light and sleepy, but the worried light in Kara’s eyes was still there.

“Is that all?” Kara asked, brushing back a stray hair.

She sniffed and managed a meek nod. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, looking down into her lap.

“What for?” Kara tilted her head to the side.

“That… outburst,” she said after finding the right word. “You probably have better things to be doing.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Kara said quickly — maybe too quickly. “It’s not your fault.”

“But…” She trailed off as the android crouching before her smiled softly and shook her head.

“Don’t worry about that right now,” Kara said, turning her warm gaze down to the bruising hands in front of her. She frowned. “Did any of that glass catch you?”

She managed a stiff shake of her head. Even with that response, Kara couldn’t help but quickly double check just to be sure. The last thing Kara wanted right now was for her to be hurting physically when she was already in enough emotional pain.

“Kara,” she murmurred, looking up into the androids brown eyes, deep and caring as ever. “What am I going to do? He won’t listen to me. I don’t know… and…” Her voice was becoming more and more choked as tears began to brim at her eyes.

“Then let’s just focus on your bruises right now,” Kara said hurriedly, certain her heart – however mechanical it may have been – couldn’t handle seeing such beautiful and usually happy eyes sparkle with any more tears. Every tear seemed to be sending malfunctions through her whole system. At this point, Kara would do anything just to see her smile.

Luckily, the other woman nodded and brushed away her tears. When she finally looked down at her own hands,she was surprised to see that they were beginning to turn alarming shades of blue and purple. After taking off her socks, she found that her feet were in a similar, if not worse, condition. While earlier her mind had been too clogged with anger to properly register the pain, she now felt it’s full effect, wincing as Kara pressed down and around the bruised portions.

The android barely managed to hide the obvious worry in her eyes, practically feeling the same pain that she was feeling. Each bruise was painful for Kara too, though in far different way from the physical pain she was experiencing. It was like a punch to the gut, as if the breath she didn’t even need was snatched right from her chest. It filled her with a bad sort of feeling, one that she couldn’t quite describe but most definitely did not want to describe if she didn’t have to.

“Well, no breaks or sprains,” Kara said, flashing a comforting smile towards her. “Did any of that glass get you?”

She shook her head no, allowing Kara to breath a quiet sigh of relief. “You stay here until I clean up the glass,” Kara said. “I’ll go get the first aid kit.”

Kara went to rise from her crouching position. She had barely risen a few inches before she was tugged down and forward, right into a tight hug. She froze, uncertain as to how she should react. “Do you need something?” she eventually managed, soft as ever.

“Can we just stay like this for awhile?” she mumbled, her voice muffled from being nuzzled into the crook of Kara’s neck. “I don’t need the first aid kit right now.”

Kara hesitated, clearly caught off guard. “If that’s what you want, of course,” Kara said, and she soon felt Kara’s warm arms wrap around her. 

It was nice and warm, simple and sweet. Time seemed to slow down and a pleasant weight now settled on her, causing her eyelids to droop shut and her body to lean even more so on Kara, who didn’t seem to mind the action one bit. All the anger of the day seemed far away now and, as long as Kara was right by her side, she knew it would all be okay.


	13. Kara x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A part two to the request of Kara turning deviant for her owner who treats her like family. They go the hospital to treat the reader's wounds, and things start going south...

You shook your head, finally pulling back from Kara. “Well I don’t know about you, but I’m spent,” you said, voice slurred with fatigue. “I’m going to bed. You should rest too. We’ll deal with all this in the morning.” You decided not to mention that your head was throbbing with pain, that your vision wasn’t quite focused, or that your whole body felt like water. No matter how miserable you felt, the idea of sleep was far too tempting to simply pass up.

Kara frowned. “I’m sure you’re tired, but we need to get you to the hospital.” As she spoke, she quickly scanned you. Though she didn’t find anything that was cause for alarm, she wasn’t going to take any chances, especially not with you. There was always the off chance that your wound might bleed more than she anticipated or that her scanners missed something that only a proper doctor could catch. The possibilities of what might happen to you ran through her mind with frightening vividness, only reinforcing her conviction.

“It’s fine, we’ll wait until morning.” You yawned as if to emphasize how tired you were, but even the simple motion caused you to wince. “I’ll just have some pills to stop the pain,” you added as Kara’s face flashed with obvious concern.

Kara moved towards your bed and grabbed a soft blanket. “We’re going to the hospital,” she said softly. She gently pressed the blanket onto the bleeding cut on your head.

You went to shake your head, but just trying to do so sent waves of pain and fatigue coursing through your head and neck, even to your chest. You tried to vocalize your reply, but even that was never managed with your sleepy brain beginning to give up. It had been a long day, and trying to form a sentence seemed like far too much work.

“You can sleep in the car,” Kara said, looping an arm around your shoulders. She glanced down at you, swaying from side to side and fighting to keep your droopy eyes open. If there hadn’t just been a robbery and your head wasn’t covered in blood, she would’ve found your disheveled appearance… cute. Kara shook the thought away as quickly as it had come. There would be time for reveling in her deviancy later, and right now was most definitely not that time.

“Would you like me to carry you?” Kara offered as she began to lead you through the house.

You summoned just enough energy to mumble what vaguely sounded like no through a rough and ragged voice. Tired and beat up you may have been, but you were still just as stubborn. Forcing Kara to carry you sounded rude, even if the idea of being able to fall asleep right now did sound appealing.

So with Kara only half carrying you, the two of you made it out the door. Kara had some minor difficult trying to support you and keep the blanket to your head while also putting on your coat and shoes, but, through some sort of miracle, she managed. Kara carefully guided you down the steps and to the sidewalk. From there, she hurried you into the car, maybe going a bit faster than you could really go. She didn’t like the idea of you being out here in the open, injured and vulnerable. Kara knew she was capable of protecting you, as she just had, but even she could recognize the dangers in idling around there too long.

Kara lowered you into the car and scooted in after you. “Shortest and quickest route to the nearest hospital,” she said. Instantly, the car seemed to spark to life. The distant and almost silent hum of the engine began, soon accompanied by the gentle whir of tires on pavement.

Once certain that the two of you were safely on your way, she began to fuss with fastening your coat and adjusting the blanket on your head. It was idle work that didn’t really need to be done, but since it occupied her mind with something else besides her new and overwhelming deviancy or your current state, she decided to do them. Even after the buttons on your coat had been fastened and the blanket had been securely tied into place, she continued to fiddle with the lace of your boots and your mess of hair.

“Kara?” you mumbled, just barely breaking into a conscious state.

Kara quickly retracted her hand away from your face, where it had been attempting to smooth back your hair. “Yes?”

“Don’t we need to call the cops on that guy?” you asked, tilting your head towards Kara but still keeping your eyes shut.

“Yes, but we need to get you patched up first,” Kara replied. “We’ll deal with it in the morning.”

“But what if-”

Kara gently hushed you. “Don’t worry about it. Rest. I’ll deal with it all.” Her voice was soft, extremely soft. It was the type of true and genuine voice her coding hadn’t taught her, but instead you had. And somehow, it managed to calm you. Kara was right. If you just took everything one step at a time, this nightmare of a night would soon be nothing but a memory. Even if your mind was still racing with thoughts and the panic hadn’t quite faded from your veins, her words somehow allowed sleep to take its welcoming hold.

Kara breathed out a sigh of relief as you fell into a deep sleep, heavily leaning against her. She was relieved that you were finally getting the rest you needed and, more importantly, that she would get a moment to herself to think. With the soothing patter of rain on the car roof and the gentle whoosh of the car, she felt almost cut off from the world, from all it’s deviants and break-ins. Her mind could slow down and process in a way it hadn’t been able to all night, maybe a little thanks to her recent deviancy. While it had been overwhelming and frightening at first, as long as she had you by her side, she figured she could come to appreciate it.

She glanced towards the front screen of the car projecting a glowing map, showing how much farther you had to go. She noted with a pleasant nod that there were only a few more blocks to go before the two of you would be at your destination. From there, it would be the simple matter of checking you into the hospital and waiting for you to get the okay from a doctor. The two of you would be in safe environment, and for the first time that night, everything suddenly felt possible.

Just a block before the car was going to turn into the hospital, you stirred next to Kara, leaning heavily on her and breaking her from the many thoughts swirling around her head. A sliver of a smile touched her face as you loosely wrapped both arms around her arm resting closest to you, clinging to it like a small child clings to their blanket.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she murmured, pressing a faint and fluttering kiss to your forehead. You wouldn’t mind, would you? “But you need to wake up now. We’re at the hospital,” she added, steering her thoughts towards helping you out of the car and away from kissing you.

She slid out of the car and looked down at your sleeping form. You were heavily slumped against the opposite door, face calm and body relaxed. It seemed cruel to wake you up, so, before you could open your eyes and insist upon walking in by yourself, Kara leaned in and scooped you up. Even if Kara’s arm were thin and weak looking upon a glance, she could carry your just fine. Sure, your thick coat was a bit difficult to hold onto and keeping the blanket on your head was a bit of a difficulty, but she managed nonetheless.

The two of you entered into the hospital, the doors sliding open in a warm welcome. The sharp lights of the hospital were a stark change from the faded lights of the car, causing you to squirm in Kara’s arms and hide your head in the crook of her neck. Kara hoped that the nurses and other patients in the waiting room didn’t read into the small movement.

Kara was well aware of the blatant stares she was receiving from everyone, but forced her eyes to stay focused upon the main desk, where another android sat hurriedly typing away. As she neared the desk, the android looked up.

“Good evening,” he said, smiling politely.

Kara nodded a greeting in return, allowing the rest of their conversation to be carried out in silence — to everyone else at least. With just a few flashes of their LED, the necessary information — such as medical information, names, and birthdays — was transmitted between them in the fraction of the time it would take two humans to do so.

The android nodded. “So you’ll need a room right away,” he said. “You may wait. I will call the nurses to take-”

“It’s fine, I can take them,” Kara said, holding you a little tighter. She didn’t like the idea of being separated — for however short of a time it may be — after the recent events. Even if she didn’t show it, she was still shaken, and you had been the one thing holding her together.

The android paused, confused with a red LED for a moment, then smiled easily. “Very well then,” he said. “You may take them to room 104. Nurse Brooker will attend to you while Doctor Wellsmith is busy.”

Kara gave the other android a polite farewell before darting down the hall, happily leaving the waiting room. Although she knew it was nothing more than her own quiet paranoia making her think it, she couldn’t help but feel that those in the waiting room had just  _ known _ she was a deviant,  _ known _ that she was no longer a proper caretaker android. Whether it was the way she moved or talked, she couldn’t help but feel obvious, as if someone might round a corner and call her out with just a single glance. Kara didn’t let her thoughts wander any farther though; she didn’t want to think of what would happen if she was discovered.

To say the least, Kara was relieved to be within the contained walls of your new room. It was crisp and clean and, most importantly, well away from prying eyes. Kara eased you into the hospital bed, happy to see you in a more restful position but sad to have you out of her arms.

Kara stepped back from the bed you were now laid on so that she was a polite distance away; not too close to seem like she cared any more than her coding dictated, but also not too far to seem as if she was completely careless. She took a deep breath. She would have to be careful. With all the deviant issues going on, any slightly odd sentence or out of place body language would arouse suspicion before she could get in one word of explanation. She needed this to go smoothly and without event, both for her sake and, more importantly,  _ your _ sake.

Before Kara could worry herself any farther, a young man, presumably the nurse, walked into the room. He hardly gave Kara a second glance before he was tapping away at the bright screen that displayed your vitals. What exactly he was doing was unclear to Kara, but she assumed that whatever it was, it was helping you in some way.

“The only injury is on the head, correct?” he said. His voice wasn’t unfriendly, but the question came out as more of a demand then anything else.

“Yes,” Kara said.

“And how was this injury obtained?” he continued, quickly typing information onto a separate screen.

Kara froze, a silent wave of panic shooting through her, a sensation both unfamiliar and unsettling. She had been so focused on just getting you to the safety of the hospital that any and all plans of what she would after arriving had been completely cast from her mind.

Lying was definitely an option. Kara hadn’t mentioned the break in to anyone at the hospital yet, so no one would be confused. Any questions involving the attempted robbery could be avoided, including everything that might lead someone to learn of her deviancy. Of course, lying would put you into an awkward position. If you happened to wake up during the check up, Kara would have no way of telling you the lie she had made up. You were bound to give the both of you away within a few seconds of waking up, since the doctors were going to want your perspective the moment is was available to them.

Telling the truth was also an option, granted a less appealing one. This could lead to all sorts of problems. Any and all questions about how the robbery could lead to suspicions towards you and especially Kara. Care androids like herself weren’t supposed to fight, even in dangerous situations. They were made as peaceful beings, programmed to only call the police when signs of danger arose. Kara had not only refused to call the police, but had also successfully fended off a robber, all of which were done under her own volition. And while that did sound like a stressful tangle for Kara, telling the truth would save you the stress of trying to lie through not only this appointment, but the police report as well.

“Well?” the man finally turned to face Kara, his sharp and discerning blue eyes now looking at her expectantly. “What happened?”

Kara didn’t have any time left. She had to chose, right then and there whether she liked it or not. The seconds seemed to be passing by too fast. She needed time, the one thing she didn’t have. Her decision was all hinged on countless ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’, each option providing their own risks and complications to make neither one appealing.

“My apologies,” she said, forcing herself to smile. “There was a break-in. They were pushed down during the altercation and hit their head on their bed post.”

Kara had made her choice. You had always been a person all about honesty, hadn’t you? She told herself you would’ve done the same thing had you been conscious to do so.

The man nodded, turning back towards his computer screen. “That explains a lot,” he muttered, typing a few more things into his notes. “I’ll send this to Doctor Wellsmith. She’ll want to see this, but I think they’ll be out of here before long. Looks worse than it actually is.”

“Thank you for your time.” Kara smiled politely, hoping her relief didn’t show too clearly on her face.

The nurse didn’t reply to Kara, now focusing on patching you up. He carefully removed Kara’s makeshift blanket bandage; it had served his purpose, but was now thoroughly ruined. Kara watched him wipe away the blood, forcing herself to not watch with interest and instead stare blankly at the wall opposite her.

Yet, try as she might, her blank expression kept switching towards you and softening ever so slightly. She watched him apply the new bandage through her peripheral vision, wishing he could about it be more carefully, wipe the blood away more slowly, or prop your head higher on the pillow. It wasn’t that he was being rough, no, not at all. He was doing it like any other well practiced nurse would’ve, but it still lacked the same gentleness she would’ve used. Even if she told herself she was just fussing over a small matter, she didn’t stop watching his every more until he stepped back from you.

“Doctor Wellsmith will see you when she’s done with the next two patients,” he said, typing one last line into his notes. Then, he rushed out of the room, leaving as quickly as he had come.

Kara waited until the door had firmly shut and the nurse’s footsteps had faded away before she moved to your side, taking up a protective position by your head. She carefully analyzed the nurse’s bandages, gentle brown eyes sweeping over the soft white fabric. She was surprised to find that the nurse had applied the bandages much like she would’ve done herself. From where she had been standing, it had looked like the nurse had put applied the new bandages quite roughly. Or, as was more likely, Kara had just been being an overprotective worrywart a few seconds ago. Kara found herself having to bashfully realize she had been worrying about the bandages for nothing. She could relax; you were perfectly fine.

Although, since the room was warmer than she had expected, there was a shine of sweat beginning to show on your forehead. Deciding that being too hot was just an unnecessary burden for you — in the temperature way, she added silently, wishing away the blue flush coming to her face — she began to unbutton your heavy coat. It was a minor difficulty to take the coat off of you without waking you, but she somehow managed. Your boots were a far easier matter, and soon, you were far more comfortably arranged on the bed.

Kara busied herself with folding up your coat in a chair and tucking your boots just underneath it. The whole time, her eyes were darting towards the door every few seconds. She hoped she had made the right decision earlier. If she hadn’t, she at least hoped you wouldn’t be the one facing the repercussions.

As dozens of scenarios played out in her mind, some good and some bad, she found herself wandering closer to your side, right until she was stationed protectively by your side again. She knew there was no use in standing so close to you. You weren’t going to magically recover by having her closer, just as Kara wasn’t going to think of the perfect cover story by being closer to you. Yet at the same time, her anxieties were ever so lessened just by having you close by. Whether it was because she found comfort in the familiar gentleness of your face or that she simply wanted to be there for you like you had always been there for her, she found herself gravitating towards you no matter what she did.

Kara’s eyes softened and she brushed back a stray strand of your hair, neatly tucking it behind your ear. Her hand lingered to rest on your forehead. If she closed her eyes and thought hard enough, she could almost trick herself into thinking the two of you were safe and sound at home. If she thought even harder, she could perfectly imagine a normal morning with you waking up, a sleepy and adorable mess as you went about the house.

Then footsteps were just outside the door — the real door in the hospital. Kara whipped her hand back and took a hurried step away from you, silently scolding herself for forgetting where she was. This may have been a hospital, a safe place for you at the moment, but it was anything besides safe for her.

As much as she preferred to be right by your side, her original programming — which dictated the behavior everyone aside from you expected of her — would have her standing against the wall, face neutral and without a shimmer of worry in her eyes. So, she hurriedly did just that. She backed herself against the nearest wall so that she was a respectful distance from you and forced an aura of calm over herself.

The door creaked opened just as she finished making herself look like the typical android, permitting a woman who she assumed to be the Doctor Wellsmith mentioned earlier. The woman had a warm smile and dark skin, hair pulled up into a tight bun. Kara didn’t know what to think of the other woman, but forced herself to be still and indifferent to her presence.

“I presume you are the patients caretaking android?” Doctor Wellsmith asked. She was now by the various floating screens projecting your vitals, adjusting various controls on the screen and occasionally typing something in the small tablet she carried with her.

“Yes, I am their android,” Kara replied. Had she replied too quickly? Too slowly? She forced herself to mentally take a deep breath. Over analyzing every word wasn’t going to be doing anyone any good, she told herself. She was lucky the doctor wasn’t turning to face Kara when she spoke, or she might’ve spotted the flicker of panic in her eyes.

“That’s good,” the woman said. “They’ll be able to leave the hospital tonight. I know it’s not ideal to be moving them around so much and I’m sure they’re tired, but, you know, with the whole deviant issue going on we just need to have as many available rooms and staff members as possible.”

“Of course, I understand,” Kara said, forcing herself to smile gently even if she felt sick and clammy just at the mention of deviants.

“Good,” Doctor Wellsmith said. “Then I’m sure you don’t need a reminder to be careful getting them home. With the police so busy with deviants, all types of ruffians have been having an easy time.” She paused briefly to look at something in her notes, then nodded. “And isn’t that how they got into this mess in the first place? A break in, right? That’s what the nurse’s notes say anyway.” For the first time she had entered the room, the doctor looked towards Kara as she spoke.

Kara floundered for words for only a second, but even that was too much of a delay. The doctor’s sudden gaze upon her — sharp and disconcertingly analytical — had caught her off guard. “Yes, that is correct,” she said, recovering the best she could from her hesitance.

The doctor nodded more. “And hit their head when they were pushed to the ground?”

“Also correct,” Kara replied, within a respectable time.

“So you were there to witness the break in and following altercation?” Doctor Wellsmith asked. Kara’s heart jumped into her chest, even if the doctor’s tone was pleasant. There was no way to deny that after admitting to knowing just how their injury had been obtained. Had she been thinking more clearly, she might’ve been able to sidestep the question. However, since she was in no state to be making up clever replies on the fly, she could only respond with yes or no.

“Yes, I was,” Kara managed to say with she hoped was reasonable confidence. 

“That’s good. I’ll spare you the details of the injury since you’re already familiar with them then,” she said. “I will say that it’s not nearly as bad as it looks. Head wounds just tend to bleed a lot. I can see why they wanted to come to the hospital right away though.”

Kara only nodded and gave the doctor a pleasant smile.

“You’ve already called the authorities, so if you could connect the two of us, that would be great,” she said, returning to hurriedly typing on her tablet.

“We haven’t caught the authorities yet,” Kara admitted.

Doctor Wellsmith looked up from her tablet, a slight frown creasing her face. “Then how was the altercation resolved?” she asked. “They were injured and you’re an android.” A worried look washed over her face. “Was someone else involved to end the fight? Do they need medical attention?”

Kara’s mind raced for an answer that wouldn’t instantly give the two of you away. “There wasn’t anyone else there,” Kara said. “It was just the two of us. The robber left the premise the moment I called the authorities.”

“But you just said you didn’t call the authorities,” Doctor Wellsmith pointed out slowly. She was definitely frowning now.

Kara nodded as she tried to stay calm. She was sure the look of panic across her face was obvious, and she was even more certain that the doctor was going to figure her out any second now. Dread was pooling in her core, an awful sensation only made worse by her lack of experience.

“I’m afraid I may not have spoken clearly,” she said, hoping her voice wasn’t shaking. “I did  _ begin _ to call the authorities. The moment I began to, he left. When he did, my top priority became taking care of them so I did not finish the call.”

“Oh, I see,” Doctor Wellsmith said. “Would you like me to make the call for you?”

Kara’s thirium pumper seemed to shudder and stop working for a moment. A million thoughts went through her head at once. However, one thought overruled all the other silent thoughts of panic coursing through her: the gun the would be robber had been armed with was lying on your bedroom floor, right where Kara had carelessly tossed it to when she rushed to you. It would be impossible to miss if the police were sent there. If the police were called now, Kara was a good as gone. They would analyze the gun, find her and the robber’s fingerprints, and both of them would be facing the consequences.

“No, we’ll do it in our time,” Kara said quickly — too quickly. Her tone was all wrong. It was fast and had an edge to it, making it anything but the usual calm and pleasant voice a caretaker android should have. She forced her gaze to stay steady, even if she felt like falling apart. She had to keep it together — just a little while longer — to keep you safe.

It was the thought of you and only the thought of you that kept Kara calm, even as Doctor Wellsmith narrowed her eyes towards Kara, typed a few words on her tablet, gently tapped a button, and swiped to the right. Very few people would ever be able to understand what the doctor had just done by just those simple movements. But Kara, a piece of technology herself, knew what the doctor had done; she had sent a message.

“Very well then,” Doctor Wellsmith said, placing her tablet on the counter. “Just don’t forget to do it.”

“I’ll make sure it’s taken care of,” Kara said. She tried to surround herself with happy thoughts of you, when things had been so much easier. She tried to only think about seeing your adorable messy hair in the morning or your angelic laughter on the rare occasion she could get a laugh out of you. But even as she tried to cling to happy thoughts, the overwhelming dread throughout her whole body was still there, a terrifying reminder of how she had messed up.

Was that little message all it was going to take? Was security already on their way up here to take Kara to be questioned and destroyed? Kara wanted to push away the question, stubbornly deny the mere idea for all it was worth. Being destroyed would be bad enough on it’s own. The only thing that could be worse was being destroyed and being forced to leave you alone, injured and confused and without at least one last good-bye. Kara desperately pushed the thought out of her mind.

At least you were unconscious, Kara thought as she sought out a silver lining, and couldn’t be brought into this mess. As long as Kara played her cards right, even if she were to be detained and eventually destroyed, she could still easily paint the picture of you never realizing her deviancy. All she had to do was explain that you had been too injured and tired to really function, and surely the police would let you off the hook then. It would be hard, nearly impossible, for them to blame someone for harboring a deviant when they had been injured and unconscious throughout that short period of time.

Kara was rudely pulled back to reality by Doctor Wellsmith’s smooth voice. “They’ve been bandaged up nicely, but it will need to be changed every few hours to keep things fresh. Even with our technology, it’ll take a little under a month for the wound to heal up,” she said, finalizing a few last things on her tablet. “Luckily, there shouldn’t be too much scarring. Make sure to bring them here if they don’t seem to be recovering. Watch over them carefully for the next few days.”

Kara nodded. Her mind was still abuzz with panic — expecting the door to fly open and allow security to come flooding in any second now — so the idea of taking care of you afterwards was a welcome one. She could think about being home with you, talking to you and watching whatever show happened to be on at the time. The simplicity of it all seemed wonderful, even if she had experienced many similar days with you before. Anything that involved the both of you safe and sound was worlds better than the reality she was facing right now.

Again, Kara was drawn away from her mess of thoughts by Doctor Wellsmith, this time when she began to close the many screens of her tablet. “That will be all,” she said. “I’ve taken care of everything else for you so that both of you can get home as soon as possible.”

Kara’s jaw stiffened. Or, she thought, so security could detain her as soon as possible.

“Of course, you’ll want to wait for them to be conscious again,” the woman continued. “They should wake up in about a half hour and be ready to go. As long as they move slowly, they’ll be able to walk on their own just fine.”

Kara nodded, forcing a grateful smile. “Noted,” she said. “I’ll see to it that they make it home safely to rest.”

“I’m sure you will,” she replied. With that, Doctor Wellsmith was darting over to the door, securely tucking her tablet into her pocket. Kara closed her eyes, watching with silent dread as the doctor neared the door. No matter how she tried to convince herself, Kara knew she had been caught. She knew that there was security waiting for her just beyond the door. She knew she was going to meet her fate soon. Worst of all, she knew this was the last time she was going to see you.

“And Kara — it’s Kara, isn’t it?” Doctor Wellsmith paused, her hand hovering just over the door’s handle. Kara wished she would just get it done and over with and open the door.

“Your LED is a dead giveaway. Either learn to control it or take it off. You’ll need to do one of the two quickly or else you won’t last long out here.”

Kara opened and closed her mouth, but no words were willing to come out.

“And I’ll make sure to forget absolutely everything you told me in here,” she added. “So I highly suggest that the two of you work out a story that makes more sense before you go to the police. Try to get out of here as quickly as possible. I sent a message to the front desk to tell them all your paperwork has been taken care of, so you shouldn’t experience any hold up there.”

Before Kara could even utter a word, Doctor Wellsmith was gliding out of the room. For a few moments Kara just stood there, leaning against the wall as she tried to collect her frazzled nerves. She had just come so close to being caught. Well, she grimly reflected, she  _ had _ been caught. She had just been lucky that the person who had caught her seemed to have some sympathy for deviants. 

Kara shook her head. There would be time to try to fathom just how incredibly lucky she had been later. As of now, she needed to be getting out of the hospital with you. She had taken Doctor Wellsmith’s warning to leave as soon as possible to heart and was determined do just that.

She felt almost guilty as she walked to your bedside. You looked so safe and peaceful there, snuggled up under a pure white blanket without a care in the world written across your relaxed features. You seemed so fragile, as though just the simple brush of her hand would shatter you.

“Wake up,” she murmured, tucking back your hair softly. “We need to go back home.”

Your head lazily moved to the side as you let out a small yet adorable whine. Slowly but surely, your bleary eyes drifted open, delicately fluttering against the sudden light of the hospital. It was a small and instinctive movement to the bright lights suddenly reflected in your eyes, but still tugged at Kara’s chest in a way that wasn’t completely unpleasant.

“What happened?” you murmured as those beautiful eyes of yours landed on Kara and twinkled with a sleepy smile.

Kara couldn’t help but smile in return. “Nothing much.”


	14. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As part of a bit of a game, the reader, who has a fatherly relationship with Hank, gets stuck in handcuffs. Connor eventually has mercy and comes to their rescue

You tugged at the two handcuffs trapping you to your desk, the cool metal biting into your wrists for what definitely wasn’t the first time since they had been latched shut… how long ago? You looked up at the clock on the opposite wall and felt a stinging combination of frustration and stupidity.

An hour.

It had been a  _ whole _ hour since you had idiotically accepted Hank’s dare. Sure, he had been teaching you various ways to get out of handcuffs for ages, so this wasn’t too out of the ordinary. It had started a long time ago, back when you were just a rookie learning the ropes. Hank had taken a certain fondness to you, one that he hid under sarcastic jokes and dry remarks, and had decided to teach you a trick or two. Though the various cheats and tips he had told you about wiggling your way out of handcuffs had served to be useful out on the field, he had always taught you in a laid back and almost playful way.

But leaving you here after hours all by yourself was just plain cruel.

Granted, you reflected with a shake of your head, it was kind of your fault.  _ You _ were the one who had gotten cocky, saying you were sure you could get out of any pair of handcuffs.  _ You _ were the one had accepted his dare. Now,  _ you _ were the one trapped here against your desk, unable to reach your phone or call for help. Each hand had one handcuff on it that attached to the handle of a desk drawer. Sure, the drawers ability to slide in and out gave you some mobility, but that was difficult to take advantage of when your back was awkwardly against the desk.

In short, you were in a sticky situation and it was all your fault.

“He’ll come back and get me,” you told yourself. Hank, even if he was gruff and teasing, had always been at least a little soft on you. There was no way he would just leave you here at the station overnight, right? No way that he would just leave you here alone in the dark for a whole miserable night, right?

Right…?

An hour had already passed. Chances were if he had been planning to come back and unlock the handcuffs, he would’ve done it by now. Suddenly, the darkness of the station and low hum of the heater seemed to be far more lonesome than it had been a few seconds ago.

A few curses tumbled from your lips. Being stuck here the whole night was going to be extremely uncomfortable and make sleep basically impossible, which was bad enough on its own. The only thing to make it worse was that you would have to explain how you had gotten here to the first person to come in the following morning. That would be an interesting experience to say the least.

You couldn’t help but cringe as you played the scenario in your head. Some poor detective would stumble in here next morning and find you there. Then what could you possibly say?

‘Hi there, Lieutenant Hank was testing me to see if I could get out of these handcuffs. As you can see, I have failed miserably. Could you be a good ol’ pal and let me out?’

You let out a low groan of frustration. As much as you hated to admit it, you knew there was no way you were  _ ever _ living this incident down. You’d probably get a nickname out of this too, and you didn’t even want to start thinking of all the possibilities for that. 

Off in the distant darkness, you heard a door open. At first, fear jolted through you. Was someone breaking into the station? You were completely helpless like this, how could you possibly put up even the slightest fight? You were a sitting duck here, an easy target that could be shot down without a second thought.

But the gentle voice quickly soothed your thoughts.

“My dear?” Connor’s soft but assertive voice was impossible to miss as it came from the distant darkness.

“Connor,” you sighed with relief. “I’m right over here!”

Yet just as quickly as the relief had flooded through you, it flooded right back out of you. Connor’s even footsteps were nearing, meaning any second now the automatic lights would switch on and he would see you; handcuffed to the desk and looking like an absolute idiot. Of course, _ just of course _ , it had to be your boyfriend of all people to see you looking like a fool. Sure, he had seen you do stupid things before, but this was a whole other level of stupid and embarrassing. Already, you could feel your face burning with a furious blush.

However, before you could even begin to think of one way of avoiding this embarrassing event, the lights were flickering on. It was sharp and sudden, but only half the reason you winced. Connor’s steady footsteps stopped just in front of you, but you still couldn’t bring yourself to meet his gaze.

“Care to explain?” His voice was neutral, but you could still hear a hint of that damn teasing smirk of his though it. Sighing, you stole a glance up at him. Sure enough, that playful smirk was tugging at his lips as he leaned against the desk opposite yours. Your eyes met his chocolate brown pair, now sparkling with that devious light only you would be able to catch.

“Could you please just let me out, Connor?” you asked, doing your best to act all cute and innocent. Connor had always been especially weak for you, hadn’t he? Surely, if you batted your eyelashes and asked sweetly enough, his will to tease you would all but disappear.

“No, really, I’m curious,” Connor said, quickly ruining your idea. Like before, his voice was innocent, but just one glance at his face told you he knew  _ exactly  _ what he was doing. “How did you end up here?” He crossed his arms and looked at you patiently. 

You sighed, feeling your face heat up. “I was dumb and accepted a stupid dare from Hank that I could get out of these handcuffs without any help,” you mumbled. You were sure even your ears were flushing a deep red now. “So could just you let me out of these handcuffs? They’re kinda painful.”

Connor innocently tilted his head to the side, looking at you expectantly.

“Please,” you added after a sigh.

“Of course,” he said. He glided forward, slipping out an all too familiar key from his pocket.

“You’re lucky Hank gave me the key and told me to come and get you,” he added as he undid one of the handcuffs. With a satisfying snap, it came undone and you began to happily move your arm and hand around again. “You should be more careful next time.”

You shrugged. “It’s not like I was in any serious danger,” you muttered. The second handcuff was soon undone and you were able to freely move both limbs again. “The worst that would’ve happened is I would’ve had to wait for the morning shift to come get me.”

“Still, that was a bit reckless,” he said. He neatly placed the handcuffs and key back on Hank’s desk. “I’d advise you not to make similar decisions in the future.”

You smiled brightly up at him, rolling your eyes. “Oh come on, give me some credit,” you laughed. “On a real mission I wouldn’t do something like this. Still, thank you for helping me out of there,” you added, bouncing up to your tiptoes to give him a quick peck on the cheek. Fortunately for you, that seemed to shift Connor’s attention from scolding you to trying to hide the blue hue rushing to his face.


	15. Ralph x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ralph and reader, who is always calm and practically deadpan, stumble upon a kitten

Despite everything, they had been calm since the beginning. Even when Ralph had had a knife pointed at their throat, they were completely unfazed. Even when they had been running from the law, their voice had always been steady and soothing as they comforted him. Even when he clung to their side like a lost puppy, their ever neutral face betrayed no signs of discomfort or embarrassment. 

They were the calm of the storm. Ralph trusted them more than anyone, which had resulted in them learning how to handle all his peculiarities. They didn’t bat an eye his jumpy behavior. They met his odd questions with impossible patience and honesty. Calming him down from fear and uncertainty were second nature to them.

So when he froze on the sidewalk, grabbed their hand, and began pointing wildly up ahead, they didn’t even flinch.

“What  _ is _ that thing?” Ralph asked. His grip tightened almost painfully on their hand, but they didn’t move. “What is it?”

“What are you pointing at?” they said. They quirked up an eyebrow as they found absolutely nothing but a park sidewalk in front of them.

Ralph looked at them incredulously. “ _ That _ !” he said again, still pointing a dozen feet ahead of them on the sidewalk.

They narrowed their eyes to focus. With the uneven light and shadow caused by the trees above them, it was difficult to see. It was even harder when the object they were looking for was apparently small, black, and perfectly hiding in a shadow. Their eyes had simply glossed over the black kitten at first, but now there steady gaze fell on the wriggling form.

“The kitten?” they asked, slowly turning their head towards him.

He nodded wildly. “Kitten?” he prompted, eyeing it suspiciously. The kitten was now looking straight back at them.

“Yes, a kitten,” they repeated. “A baby cat. Probably a stray one.” As they spoke, the kitten began stumbling towards them. Ralph instantly whipped behind them, but their voice refused to waver in surprise.

“Why is it coming towards us?” Ralph asked, peeking over their shoulder.

“It probably wants food,” they said.

“It’s going to try and eat us?” Ralph gasped, cowering down lower.

“Yes, of course the fuzzy kitten that’s ten times smaller than us, was cowering in the bushes, and isn’t aggressive at all is going to eat us, Ralph,” they said, sarcasm dripping from their usually monotone voice.

Ralph grabbed their hand with both of his now, and began tugging them backwards. They didn’t move.

“Come on, we need to go,” he said urgently. He glanced back at the approaching kitten with obvious fear. “We need—”

“Ralph, I was being sarcastic,” they said. Ralph stopped moving long enough for them to slide one hand out of his grip and carefully grab his shoulders. “The kitten won’t hurt us. Even if it wanted to, I wouldn’t let it.”

“Oh.” Ralph visibly relaxed under their touch, instantly believing what they said. “That is good. Ralph is glad we are not in danger. Ralph would’ve kept you safe though.”

They nodded. “I’m sure you would’ve,” they said. Though their voice was as flat as ever, they were genuine — they always kept one another safe, even from little kittens.

By now, said kitten was standing between them and Ralph, meowing loudly.

“Why is it making that sound?” Ralph asked.

“It’s hungry,” they replied. The kitten was now toddling to their foot and pawing up at their leg. They made no change in their stance and looked down at the kitten impassively.

A flicker of a smile flashed over Ralph’s face. “Silly kitten,” he said, looking down at it. “They are not food. They are too nice and pretty to be food.”

Even if they were flustered by Ralph’s honesty, it didn’t show through their calm features. “It thinks we have food,” they said.

Ralph frowned. “We are sorry kitten, but we do not have food,” he said. An idea washed over his face, sparking a wide grin. “Can we keep it?” 

They quirked up an eyebrow. “I thought you were scared of it just a moment ago.”

Ralph nodded. “I was, but now Ralph knows that kitten is nice,” he said. “And it already likes Ralph and you. You especially, so kitten must have good taste.”

They were silent as they weighed the options.

“Ralph will take such good care of it, he promises,” he added. “And it will be very good company for you. You will have someone else who also sleeps and eats.”

After another beat of silence they shrugged. “If you really want it, sure,” they said. Before Ralph could try to awkwardly grab it, they scooped up the kitten. “But you’ll have to learn how to take care of it.”

Ralph nodded. “Do you think it will like me?” he asked. He reached out a hand and tapped it’s head a few times; it was a poor attempt at mimicking other people he had seen petting animals, but at least he was trying.

“I think it already does,” they said as the kitten nuzzled his hand. They gave Ralph one of their rare smiles, and he wasn’t sure if his heart felt odd all of a sudden because of the kitten or their smile.

Actually, no, it was  _ definitely _ their smile making his heart feel like it was trying to flutter out of his chest.


	16. Ralph x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader has been helping androids over the border to safety, and is now helping Ralph over the border. But, of course, complications arise.

Ralph clung to their hand with an iron grip. It was almost painful, but they could understand his nerves — one wrong move and both of them would be caught. After all their time spent helping androids cross the border, they weren’t so easily susceptible to stress as others were. Each time was a bit different, but there was a steady routine that they and everyone else followed through to make sure every android crossed the border safely.

But despite their expertise in navigating the border, just one mistake had resulted in them being left behind. The boat was already pulling out of the dock, filled with all the refugees except for them. They were stuck in a dark alleyway, tucked behind a dumpster and a chain link fence.

“Ralph is so sorry.” His voice was barely a whisper. “Ralph didn’t mean for—”

“You’re okay, Ralph,” they said. “You couldn’t control the fact that the police decided to change their patrol routes.” They sighed, rubbing their forehead with the hand Ralph wasn’t clinging to. They were still mentally kicking themselves for not thinking that the police would change their patrol routes eventually, thus cutting them off from the boat just a second too soon. 

“What are we going to do?” he asked. As with most things, Ralph looked to them for guidance. Even from the beginning, Ralph had greatly favored them over the other humans who smuggled androids. 

They chewed on their lip as they weighed their options. “Obviously, the boat isn’t an option,” they said. They patted Ralph’s shoulder as they felt him tense up again. As one of the few people he was comfortable with touching, he relaxed at the motion. “We need to get out of here. There are other ways to get across the border. They’ll take longer, but we’ll get to them.”

After peaking around each corner, they began to lead Ralph down the darkened streets. He jumped at every sound, but kept a firm grip on their arm. At this point, they didn’t even bat an eye at his tight hold. They had long become accustomed to Ralph’s nervous touch, holding them close whenever he felt nervous. In these shadow infested streets, they didn’t mind Ralph holding them so close that he nearly stepped on their heels with every move — it was far better than being alone.

“So where are we going?” Ralph asked.

“A friend of mine. They live on the other side of town, but we’ll be safe once we get there,” they replied.

The idea of walking across the city in the dead of night terrified him. The idea of leaving their side was even more terrifying though, and he found himself tightening his grip around their arm. Even if they were constantly looking straight ahead, Ralph couldn’t help but keep his head on a constant swivel. 

A thump to the left? Ralph tightened his grip on them so painfully they had to gently pat his shoulder as a reminder to relax. A car driving past? He would huddle so close to them that he was practically walking on their heels. His eyes roved left and right, in front and behind them. He was paranoid, but at least he had a good reason for it.

But despite their vigilance, they weren’t aware of the police car until its menacing array of blue and red lights were flashing against the brick wall near them. Ralph nearly jumped out of his skin. His heart — though it was made of metal and wires — began to beat wildly against his chest.

“What do we do?” Ralph asked. The car was already on the same block on them and slowly driving towards them. “Please, what do we do? Ralph doesn’t want—”

“Stay calm, I’ve got this,” was all they said. They whipped up Ralph’s cowl so that it was hiding his face. They allowed their hand to rest on the side of his face long enough to meet his gaze and smile. Despite their predicament, Ralph found himself smiling back. It was hard not to when they gave him the smile that made his systems malfunction. 

The police car pulled up to the sidewalk. The window rolled down. “Excuse me, you two,” the officer on the driver’s side said. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m going to have to see your ID’s.”

They could feel Ralph trembling, tugging lightly at their arm. They gave him a gentle pat before frowning at the officer. “What for?” they asked. They smiled sweetly. “Is something the matter?”

Both officers sighed. Ralph wished he could see past his hood to read their faces. Did they have a gun? Some other weapon? Were they glaring glaring at them, even though they had never done anything to deserve such treatment? Ralph hated this. He had wanted to run the moment the car had come into sight. Not only did the officers put himself in great danger, but also dragged _ them _ into that same danger. He cared about them too much. Just thinking of something happening to them made his mind spin around like error warnings were jamming his software.

“Just the usual patrol. We have to make sure there are no androids wandering about with everything that’s going on,” the other officer replied. Her voice wasn’t annoyed, just tired.

“Oh, I see,” they said. “Perfectly understandable.”

“And while you two do seem very nice, I am still going to have to see some identification,” the officer added. There was a hint of apology to his voice. Was there still hope for them?

“I’m sorry, sir, but we’re in a bit of a hurry,” they said. “I’m sure you understand. With everything going on, we don’t want to be out here any longer than we have to.”

The officer didn’t reply right away. Ralph tugged on their arm more insistently. He couldn’t stand this silence, with nothing but the low hum of heating units and drone of distant cars to fill the tense silence. There was no way these officers were going to let them go. They were far too obvious. If his hood moved down just a little, they would be able to perfectly see his scar and there was no way they could talk their way out of that one.

“We’ll make it quick, we promise,” the other office said. “And if you live far from here, we’d be more than willing to give you a ride home.”

They smiled, even if they felt like they were suffocating. This wasn’t going at all how they had hoped. They were still miles from their friend’s house, and even if they could reach it, the task of getting across the border tomorrow would be even more difficult now that the officers knew their face.

“Alright,” they said. Ralph let go of their arm arm long for them to shrug off their backpack and crouch down by it. Hee placed his hand on their shoulder, fidgeting with their coat’s thick material. “Just a moment, I have both of our ID’s buried in here somewhere,” they said. Their brow furrowed as they began to mindlessly fumble through their belongings to stall.

“Honey, could you come help me for a second?” they asked, looking up at Ralph. Even though he was still trembling, he dropped down to their side instantly.

They were both well aware that the two officers were staring at them. They didn’t have much time before they would begin to become suspicious. They nudged Ralph gently, perking his attention instantly. He looked at them with wide, frightened eyes, searching for the familiar light of confidence in their face.

“When I stand up, run,” they whispered. “A block down from here we can turn down an alleyway. There are a bunch of small side streets and alleys all tangled together. We’ll be okay, I promise.”

Ralph gave a vague nod. He was terrified, but if anything, that made him all the more willing to listen to them. They pretended to have something in their hand as they put their backpack back on.

“Sorry that took awhile,” they said, giving the officers one last smile. They began to slowly stand, taking Ralph’s hand in a firm grip as they did so. 

The moment they were completely standing, they ran. They didn’t look back, not even when the sound of yelling and car doors slamming filled their ears. The rush of their footsteps and breathing were the only sounds they could focus on. Ralph clung to their hand as they raced down the street and whipped around the corner into the alley. Without the faint glow of the streelight’s guiding their path it was near impossible to see, but they didn’t have a choice.

They continued to lead the way, turning randomly down the dark paths. The way was cluttered, causing both them and Ralph to stumble and have to pull the other up to keep going. The officers yelling and footsteps told them they had to keep moving, they always had to keep running and— 

They ran straight into a brick wall.

They hadn’t even seen it before they were stumbling backwards and falling to the ground. Ralph’s hand slipped out of their grip, and they heard his sharp gasp of surprise. They blindly fumbled through the darkness, crawling backwards until their back hit something hard. There was scuffling in the darkness, people moving and yelling. Was Ralph there? Had he gone off a different direction when their hand was no longer guiding him? 

The click of gun being loaded, though quiet through all the noise, cut through every other sound like a gong.

They pressed themselves farther back into the wall. Where was Ralph? He had run, right? They doubted the officers would actually shoot  _ them _ , but Ralph was a different situation — to them, he was just an android. They wanted nothing more than to call out his name and find him. The ony thing keeping them from doing such was the fact that it would probably lead to the both of them being apprehended.

“Where’d they go?” one officer gasped. “I swear both of them went right down this dead end.”

“No one ran past me, I swear,” the other snapped. “They’re probably both still down there hiding. Here let me go first, I have the gun.”

“Is that really necessary? You’ll end up hitting me with this dark,” the first one grumbled, far closer than they had been in a few seconds ago. Their heart beat wildly inside their chest. So Ralph was still trapped with them? Where though? There wasn’t much space to be hiding.

“As long as I hit one of them — human or android — it’ll mean we have at least someone to interrogate,” the officer with the gun said. “And at this point, I—”

The officers words were cut off with a distinctive thud.

The next officer could only get out a sharp gasp before a similar thud cut through the air, instantly followed by a heavier thump.

Except for their own heavy breathing and racing heart, there was silence. Absolute chilling silence.

They took in a shuddering breath. “Ralph?” they said tentatively. “Ralph, where are you?”

There was no verbal reply, only a nearby shuffling.

“Ralph? Is that you?” they asked. Figuring it was him, they added, “Come here.”

The uneasy footsteps came right to their side. They were sure it was him though — and when his trembling arms wrapped around them far too tight, they were sure of it.

“Ralph didn’t mean to hurt them,” he said. His voice was partially muffled as he buried his head into their neck, taking in their comforting smell.

They nodded and began petting his hair. “I know you didn’t,” they said.

“They were going to hurt you. Ralph wanted to keep you safe like you always keep him safe,” he continued. He was still trembling, but their touch had caused him to relax into their hold.

“I know,” they said again. “But we need to get going. I don’t know how long they’ll be out, and I don’t want to take anymore chances.”

In the darkness, they could barely see Ralph nod. As they began to rise to their feet, Ralph clung to their arm painfully tight. Under most circumstances, they would’ve gently reminded him not to practically walk on their heels or hold them so tightly, but any such comments didn’t seem to suit their current situation. Having them just that much closer seemed to comfort him, and that was all they wanted for him in that moment.

And besides, they didn’t mind having him so close either.


	17. Connor x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor, reader, and Hank are all on a case together. Things go south, and reader is injured

“They’re all right around the corner,” Connor whispered, jerking his head in the direction of the four armed robbers. “We’ll each split up and approach from a different side.” His gaze lingered on them for a moment longer than Hank — as capable as he knew they were, he couldn’t help but dislike the idea of being away from their side in a situation like this.

They, however, showed none of his hesitance. “Good idea,” they said. The old junkyard they were in had a maze of twisting routes, so this would be the quickest way to apprehend all of the robbers.

“I’ll go straight ahead,” Connor said. He figured that would be the most dangerous approach. “You and Hank go to the right and left. When I start moving forward, you two also start moving. We should all come to the center at the same time then.”

Hank grunted, muttered something under his breath, and slunk off to the left. 

“On it,” they said, once Hank had disappeared behind by a pile of junk. 

Connor caught the edge of their sleeve as they went to slink around him. “Careful, alright?” he said, voice gentle.

Despite the situation, they grinned. “You worry too much, Connor,” they said. “You know I’ll be careful.”

Connor didn’t look convinced. “Don’t move forward until I do, okay?” he repeated.

They nodded, giving his hand a small squeeze. “I know,” they said. “I plan on trying to climb something to get a good vantage point. I’ll still wait for you to make the first move.”

Their words still did nothing to ease his worry and his face stayed tense. Still, he managed to loosen his grip on their shoulder enough for them to move to the right. He watched them carefully move around the corner, even going as far as to crane his neck a few inches to the right just to keep them in his sight for a fraction of a second more.

Once he was sure they were out of sight and moving into position, Connor moved to the edge of the pile of junk nearest him. He could hear the low murmur of the robbers talking. What they were discussing was beyond him — for now at least. Setting his jaw with determination, he poked his head out from behind a rusting car to see that the robbers were still in the center of the maze of junk. They were huddled together, bags of stolen jewelry sitting a few feet off to their right.

And, as Connor’s sharp vision noticed, two guns as well. Surprised but not completely unpleased that two of the robbers had been dumb enough to part with their weapons when the danger had not yet passed, Connor took out his own gun. Two armed robbers was still a problem, but as long as all of the officers moved as one, the two threats would be dispatched quickly.

Connor began to creep forward, staying low enough that the few piles of junk between him and the robbers blocked their line of sight of him. He tried to stay focused on any sudden movements or sounds from the robbers, but his attention was repeatedly drawn to the right — where  _ they _ were. No matter how many times he told himself to focus on what was in front of him, he found himself constantly glancing to the right in hopes of catching sight of them. 

Were they alright? Had they run into possible accomplices that they, Connor, and Hank had been unaware of? Should he have let them go off on their own?

Common sense flicked away the odd sensation of uneasiness growing in the pit of his stomach. Of course they were okay, he told himself. They’re a trained detective. This was probably a walk in the park compared to their previous cases. He was simply being an overprotective worrywart, as he knew they would phrase it.

In the time it had taken to settle himself down, he found himself against the last pile of junk between him and the robbers. He took a deep, albeit unnecessary, breath and checked his gun again. He knew they and Hank wouldn’t move until he did, and he wanted to make sure all went well. If he moved quickly enough, he could get off a shot before either Hank or them could step into the small clearing. That way, the robbers’ attention would be drawn completely away from them and Hank so—

A blood curdling screech of steel on steel from the right shattered the tense air. Connor looked to the right just in time to see a series of what had once been tall and sturdy looking piles come crashing down, sending up a plume of dust. Dread hit Connor like a physical force, maybe stronger than it would’ve been for others since he wasn’t made to handle this type of heart wrenching panic. Was the absence of a scream a good or bad thing? Had they been able to jump away from the falling metal? Or had any sound been cut off by them being crushed?

“Shit,” he muttered. Still, Connor forced down the fear and worst case scenarios racing through his mind. His expression was calm and neutral regardless of what was going on internally.

“The hell was that?” one of the robbers asked. Her voice shook with obvious irritation. “Mack, I thought you said we weren’t followed!”

The robber apparently named Mack, who didn’t have a gun, shrugged. “Because we weren’t followed,” he said. “These junk piles are old and rusty. There were probably some critters running around in there that sent the whole thing crashing down. Don’t worry about it.”

The female robber, who  _ did _ have a gun, shook her head. “I’ll worry about it as much as I like,” she said, roughly gesturing to the rubble on her right.

Before she could even take one step to the right, Connor leapt up from his cover. There was no calculating, no carefully thinking things through — his sudden movement was done out of nothing but the pure protective impulsive that he had no way of controlling. Barely aware of has lack of cover, he was carefully aiming and taking shots. He aimed to injure, not kill, and didn’t notice Hank doing the same until the four robbers were all cowering on the ground. He would scold himself for being reckless later, but their safety was consuming all his common sense.

Without even acknowledging Hank yelling at him, Connor was sprinting to the rubble of metal, calling their name over and over again. 

Silence.

Panic like no other seized at his heart, an icy grip that he had never felt so strongly before. Where were they? How much had fallen onto them? As long as they were okay, Connor didn’t care how much he would have to pull off of them. He didn’t care if—

“Here,” came a voice, slightly muffled. “I’m alright. Except for my leg… something is definitely wrong with that.” Connor noted with a wince how much pain edged their voice.

“I’m coming,” Connor said, following their voice to a thankfully smaller part of the rubble with Hank hot on his heels. He practically skidded to a stop and crouched to see them and ascertain that they were really well and alive — thankfully, they were. Granted, they were still under a small roof of metal that had perfectly landed so that it somehow didn’t crush them.

Even though the metal alcove around them looked relatively stable for having just fallen, Connor wouldn’t be completely at ease until they were out from under their metal cage. With Hank’s help, they carefully pulled them out, making sure to mind their injured leg. Connor was quick to draw them in close, guilt crashing over him again and again as he scanned their obviously broken leg.

“Should we call an ambulance?” Hank asked. “We should probably—”

“I already did,” Connor said, voice stiffer than usual. “Please go to the robbers and handcuff them. Back up should be here to help us any minute.”

Sensing that the two of them need a moment, Hank nodded and walked back the way they had come without saying another word.

They sat in silence for only a moment, them resting on his lap with their head against his shoulder.

“What happened?” Connor asked. His voice was gentle, as though he feared using too strong of a voice might injure them further.

“I was trying to climb up some of the piles like I said,” they explained, voice still tight with pain. “I thought it would be easy enough to get a shot at them without them seeing but…” They gestured towards the heap around them. “I was wrong. One misstep sent the whole thing crumbling down.”

Connor nodded, pulling them a bit closer. Calculations ran through his head in an instant. The chances of this — them coming out with nothing but a broken leg — were frighteningly small. There were hundreds of ways that pile could’ve fallen and the chances of it falling the way it did, a perfect roof over them, were so small Connor felt fresh dread run over him all over again.

“I shouldn’t have had us split up,” Connor said, voice heavy with guilt. Luck.  _ Luck _ was the only reason they were still alive and that scared him more than anything. How had he been dumb enough to leave their life to luck? “I’m sorry.”

“Connor,” they said. They carefully cupped his face to draw his soft, brown eyes towards theirs. “Please don’t blame yourself. There was no way you could’ve known this would happen.” 

Connor opened his mouth to begin listing all the thousands of reasons he thought it was his fault, but they placed a gentle hand to quiet him.

“You can’t predict everything, Connor,” they said. “So, please, don’t beat yourself up over this thing. Let’s just be glad everyone’s alive and well.”

Connor’s brow was still deeply furrowed as he looked them up and down. With dust, small scratches, and bruises covering every inch of their body, they looked especially fragile, especially in need of protecting. Was keeping them safe too much to ask? He had had one job, and that was to keep him safe. How could he not beat himself up for not doing something as simple as that?

“Connor,” they said his name again. “Please. Talk to me. You’re upset, I understand, but you can’t let that guilt eat you from the inside out. Okay? Promise me you’ll still be my usual dorky Connor?” They managed a smile regardless of their pain.

Despite the guilt he still felt, though not as strong as before, he managed a faint smile. “I promise,” he said. “But lets get you out of here.”


End file.
